The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-09

Councilman Burton was asked yester-
day how he stood on the curfew ordin-
ance which is to come up before the
council next Monday night He smiled
pleasantly, and quietly said:
'why, don't believe it is a very good
thing
You don't expect to vote for it then
do you?''
why. don't think I will. The meas
ure appears to me to be entirely too
drastic. The danger iies-now here it's
this way, / don't want any one TO think
that | ould hesitate to do anything 10
lessen crime, but if this measure carries
am afraid that it will not prevent what
1t is intended to do, but will. simply drive
the boys into holes in the wall SO to
speak. When the hour comes around the
natural tendency of the mischieyious boy
is TO go just as far as he can without
getting caught. II looks to me that
wnen the hour arrives these boys, in
stead of going home, will simply allow
themselves to be driven into places
which would be infinitely worse for them
than to allow them to remain upon the
streets.
Another thing about this affair is. in
my estimation, not a small item. 1t is
this: Suppose some boy or girl, or sew
eral of them, were caught out after the
-Four prescribed, arrested, takea to the
city Jail AMI locked up. The effect upon
the nerves of child would be consider
able, and after some % them were ar
rested few times they. would rot care,
and the bolder spirits among the boys
would enjoy the great distinction IN their
own eyes and in the eyes of their com
panions Of having been put in JAIL
You do not think then, that he opeF-
alton of the law would be restraint up
on the children, and a substantial en-
couragement for them to stay at nome?'
We'll, 1 hardly look at it that Nay
You don't think that the police would
arrest every child found upon the streets
without written permit from their par
ents. do your
Well. it would depend not a little up
on the officers. Some policemen. perhaps,
would never arrest any child and lock
them up, while others would go to the
other extreme"
Another thing Mr.. Burton touched up
on was the taking of authority out of
the hands OF parents. The law is con-
structed so as to allow parents to give
the child permission to go upon the
streets, if they desire, by giving them Il
written permit. which gives them i'm
munity from the police al any time or at
all times, if the parent SO desires. Upon
this Mr.. Burton said that he thought the
parents were the only ones who should
have any direct control over the child
II do not have any trouble keeping my
boys at home" said be. IF parents de-
fire to keep them at home they can do
so If they will, and no passes be neces-
sary and no law of tlIs kind
it was suggested that some people
are heavily overburdened with more
children than they can any where near
take care of. Mr.. Burton said:
That sort of thing is altogether too
prevalent, and no one more than l.
knows it is only too true. The parents
are solely responsible in cases of this
kind. and | don't think any law should
be passed which would be operative up
on this class, and at the same time
would endanger children born under 9TH
er circumstances
MIR. Burton talked very quiet and dis
passionately about the matter, and
seemed to desire not to become mixed up
in any wrangling over the curfew, but
simply TO have his own ideas, and not to
be inclined to push them upon any one
else