The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-12
SYMBOL OF BYGONE BIGOTRY.
FRIENDS OF THE MEASURE TAKE
UP THE CUDGEL WITH
a5 VIGOR.
GOOD EFFECTS IN OTHER CITIES.
Duties OF the state In Assisting Pa
rental Authority to Save the
Young.

/
held as the champion of society and
the panacea for some Of the evils that
threaten the youth of the land, the
changes rung on the curfew at the
meeting Of the Associated Charities
last night were many and varied The
meeting, which was very largely at
tended, was held at the Commercial
club, Rev S. G. Smith presiding
Miss Jennie E. Rankin read the first
paper, her subject being the Dark
Side Of Child Life in St. Paul. Miss
Rankin called especial attention to the
responsibility of parents, which, she
said, seemed powerless in some in
stances to control the children. The
necessity for a curfew law was urged
that these children, who were without
nome influence, might be preserved to
society.
THE Benefits of Curfew Law was
the topic assigned D. I. Wellington.
He said the experience of other cities
had proved the benefit Of the curfew.
In our grandfathers' days it was
easier to control children than now"
he said. ''Life was simpler, family
ties were stronger. There are charms
and sports and entertainments offered
the children Of today that entice them
away from home and from home inf1u-
ences But the evil that is most to be
deplored is the absence Of parental
control. Children are allowed to choose
their own companions, pursuits and
pastimes, while their parents are an
parently Indifferent to the inevitable
result. 1t is, in such cases that the
state has a right to enact laws that
/ fe.N ~
as we'll as Of the children. The most
beneficial measure that can be sug-
gested is curfew law Such a law
IS IN force in Omaha and at st. Joseph,
Mo, and is pronounced by the police
departments Of those cities as easy Of
enforcement. 1eThe law has been prov
ca In those cities an act Of humanity.
There are in the country 200 towns
ana cities with such law; in Mime
sofa there are thirty towns with such
a law, and in every case the report
| comes that it is easy Of enforcement.
statistics show that there has been
marked falling off in crimes especially
the misdemeanoTs Of youth, where the
/ law IS enforced" Mr.. Wellington then
read from the ordinances of another
city showing that children of that CITY
under sixteen years of age were not
allowed on the streets between the
hours of p. m. and 6 a. M in summer
ana p nj. ana a. m. in winter. New
york city and Montreal, he said; were
investigating Ike curfew, and would
PROBABLY enact such measure.
CITY Attorney E. J. Darragh apollo
glzed TOR the arguments he presented
IN discussing The difficulties in the
way" He was heartily in sympathy,
he said, with the curfew. but as he
mad been assigned to present the mega
tive side OF the question, he had done
the pest ne could to persuade himself
that the curfeW was relic of puritani-
cal blgotry and intolerance Already.
he said, the state had done all in is
power to lessen the control of the in
divfdual over his own affairs. Mar
riage had been hade a civil contract
the rights of husband and wife had
been legfslated- and juggIed with un-
I'll 1T was possible for 1.-THE affairs of
both to be conducted without mutual
reference or control. by this same
agency, that has assumed control of
the marriage function, state philan-
thropists viii Csc9n have difficulty in
finding children to legisIate for and
assume contrib Of" he said do you
wish us to hsliYe that children shall
not be controlled by their parents?
Do you insist that the way to make
people perfecp isa by process of law?
II the curfeW law is passed and adopt-
ed in St. Paul to enforce it you win
have to punish both parent and child
. the parent for. neglect Of something
beyond his control the child for obav
ing an impulse. Of nature. Your sug
gest1on for curfew suggests the age
Of the cage and the thurnbscrew
would not ohjectDto a reasonable eyer
else of authority to keep the youth of
the land in proper control, but T. do
seriously object to the surrender of
parental rights to the state The law
could not be eEforced even if the police
force was three times aus large Children
would be driven from the streets into
homes that are more injurious than
the teachings of the streets. The lows
OF the streets may be shallow. but TO
some at least they are more entertain
ing and less injurious that the home
influences. [ pray that the advocates
of the curfew do not destroy the love
of liberty that is in us all, and which
is of more Importance to the healthy
growth of a child than the regulation
Of his hours on the Streets.
Prof s.. A. Farnsworth spoke Of tha
Child Problem from Teachers Stand
Eoint." He did not mention the cur
few in his paper, but spoke Of the in
f1uences that surround the children and
those which should be controlled and
rGSulaCeQ TO secure the best results to
the children as we'll as to society. Eve
pay great attention to and give much
care to those who are mentally or phv-
sicially diseased - he said, but neglect
that great army of children who are
morally defective The state should
take these children from their sur
roundings and place them where their
environment will be elevating and en-
nobling. They are capable of improve
n1ent and can be made good citizens.
Rev. David Morgan said if a cur
few law was established runaway
country boys would not come to the
cities, and If they did they would soon
be willing tofreturn home where the
punishment for remaining out in the
streets at night would not be so severe
7. A. Abbott Endorsed the views OF
Mr.. Darragh9 I'VE live in the TWEEN
tieth century," he said, "and It is too
late to go back to the times of blue
laws for ordinances governing our chill
dren. The spirit of the age is against
the restraint of any Individual rights
I compare this curfew law with the
prohibition laws THAT cannot be en-
forced and do, more harm than good.
Fl. r. Phelps said it seemed to be the
idea that children could be raised by
proxy. The 9word curfew sounds In
tolerant The idea that the state shall
assume the functions of the parent and
control the movements of the child Is
a sad commentary on the times. But
IL the responsibility OF the parent is
troll for self preservation. The proper
way to raise children and keep them !
off the streets is to make the home so
a ra ofiua fha tnthfau will not xxyfch ~