The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-18
THREW DOWN GAGE
DOCTORS LOCK HORNS ON THE CUR
FEW BELL ISSUE.


One Of Them is the Father of the Ordinance
and the Other Calls it Relic of Barbar-
Commencing With Virgil = How it
Worked In the Dark Ages-He is OPP
posed to it Because 1t Substitutes Police
Control for Parental ControI--The Iu-
QUESTION Cited.
DR.. Shuts has thrown down the gage
of battle to DR.. Minick on the Curfew
ordinance proposition. DR.. Minick had
an interview in yesterdays Eagle which
DR.. Shuts had read over carefully be-
fore a reporter for the Eagle met him.
When asked what he thought of the or
dinance the blood rushed into his twink
ling eye and he spoke in language his
torical and eloquent as follows:
The ordinance presented is one pecu-
liar in several ways. First, in its an
tiquity and, second, in its ridiculous
nes;."
Submit a few remarks on its antiqu-
lty,' asked reporter.
"WelI,' he said, Il find that history
gives no account Of its origin, but the
practice was common in the days OF the
Fudal Assendency, or the middle ages,
and Virgil informs US that the practice
was introduced in England by William
the Conqueror, as police regulation in
the year 1857, and was abolished by
King Henry the First in the year 100.
At this time there is no doubt it was
very necessary, for the whole civilized
world was on the eve of barbariSm
monarchies and republics alike had tot
cred and fallen, and the dissolution of So
ciety was at hand. Law and order was
thing of the past; and all Europe was
divided into fueds. First bands, petty
kingdoms and free cities were all that
remained and during this period of war
bloodshed, riot and assassination the
Curfew was in vogue.
During the reign of terror" continued
the doctor, these fudal bands would
steal into the cities. singly or in pairs,
with their implements of war secreted
beneath the folds of their garments, and
at a given signal would assemble at
some central point and set upon the pop
ulace and take the city. And TO aid in
preventing this. while the people slept
the Curfew was used. A thousand years
have elapsed. to give time for US to de-
generate sufficiently to inaugurate this
crusade, against little children. No one
denies the fact that there are some chill
dren IN this and every other city, that
should be restrained, and possibly some
that should be in the reform school, but
should the innocent suffer with the
guilty? There are many men in this
city who would commit any crime on the
calander if it was not for the restraining
influence of the law. L find the people
who are most in favor Of this measure
are the ones who have no children, or if
they have, they are too old TO be effect
ed by it. 1t is the neighbor's children
that they are most interested in.
The introducers OF this ordinance
gives us an argument in its favor that
it works well in Fort Scott, and other
places. I understand that the Inquision
worked very well in Spain few hundred
years ago, the guilotine seems TO be a
success in France, and assassination
seems to be a fad in Cuba"
How about public sentiment
He tells us that the majority of the
people are in favor of it. Yes, thirty
eight millions OF people in Spain, are in
favor of the assassination of General
Maceo in Cuba, but does that make it
right? Fifteen years ago the majority of
the people of this state were in favor of
prohibition and voted for il, and did they
every do anything that they are so sick
Of? The law was harmless when not
enforced, buS it put the club in the hands
of giant, and while ne slept he was
benign, but he became infuriated one
year ago when he was aroused, and you
know the result. The fanatic of today is
cast in the same mold as the fanatic OF
thousand years ago. All ages have
had their scape goats. The meanness
and barbaric gloom of human nature
have always found something that it
might ruin. But even in the darkest
ages there remained something in the
nature of man which revives, expands,
develops and improves. So il was even
In the days Of the fudal dissolution Of
society. And by the cultivation of the
good that remained after this dark period
Of the worlds history, we now enjoy all
the blessings OF the nineteenth century,
You are feminist it then?"
Yes. Why go back TO the effete past
and dig up the old and musty customs
Of ancient barbarism. Why not put our
Inventive faculties to a better use and de- |
wise something that will elevate human |
tty. more easily. The gentleman who in !
troduces this ordinance has no belief |
that it will ever be enforced. and the |
only arguments that he can produce for |
It's passage is that il is in vogue in |
few other places, which only reflect the |
foolishness of the men who passed it. |
One would think that the people of Kan |
sas had seen enough of making saints |
by legislation.
Have the gentlemen who champion |
this measure had such wonderful succs- |
cess in raising children that are so much |
better than the children Of their neigh /
bors that they want TO take the job of |
raising them all? Or do they think the |
people Of this city incapable of raising /
their children. without calling on the |
police force for assistance? Please i'm I
aevir III af-,aA hx
lent or otherwise for few minutes az |
Ter the allotted time. dragged TO prison /
by a policeman. thrown into keep COM
pany with burglars, thieves, murdererS,
prostitutes and drunkards for even 4
single night. Now who in this city can
say that this cannot occur to him? l !
will say then why do they wish such an
ordinance? And Of the children of To-
paka and other places are so bad that
hey require the police to help raise
them. then let the police do their duty il
hose places. But i have so much conf
dence in the ability of Wichita parents
10 raise their children that / consider it
an insult 10 those parents even 10 offer
such an oriRance"
Councilman Shuts grows indignant !
when he thinks of the proposition and
ne declares he Will fight il until the last
lay OF his official Germ.
CUBA AND ITS PATRIOTS
II Is said That United states ATTORNEY
Perry is Watching Them