The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-29
lNTEMPERANCE AMONG
BIRMINGHAM BOYS

The records of the inferior criminal
court of Birmingham, or what is termed
ltIhc police court in, other cities, show a
barge per cent. OF arrests fer drunk and
disorderly conduct among boys from II
to IS years of age To the city police and
men whose business carries them about
cit night the spectacle of lads of tender
age beastly drunk is not an uncommon
spectacle. If this were an occasional
occurrence. it would be sad enough, but
it is a nightly and daily happening, The
result is obvious It Is the breeding of
immortality for future generations.
Whsre do these boys procure the wh.s-
ky? The police see them drunk each
might and when the carousal reaches a
certain limit arrests are made. Probably
these guardians of the law could vouch-
safe some information. Boy drunlos can
be readily explained in the poorer locali-
ties OF uneacIDty. In the districts where the
saloon depends largely upon the Can
trade many a boy too young to roam the
streets ait night or be out from under his
mothers apron strings procures beer and
drinks himself drunk Ths' saloon-keeper
has some authority given him for these
sales. The iElhoxioant Is not consumed Oh
his premises and therefore he considers
the act mott nece ssarily illegal.
In Birmingham boy drunks are not
confined to these lor - ties The sens of
prominent citizens and officials who are
too young to be on the streets after
O'Clock are out at all hours of the night
casbanching themselves. They can be
seem in the night restaurants and even
in the saloon, taking a drink with as
mulch sang frold as the man Of thirty.
Occasionally they can be seen carrying
whisky around in a bottle.
at has mot been many nights Stree
number of boys get en- drunk and pro-
ceeded 10 held high carnival They were
finally arrested, AHA three charges were
registered against them In the infrior
criminal couIt Frequently on Sunday a
party OF these youthful jewellers procure
the necessary amount of The ardent
and go to the parks to spend the cay
Ano. her favorite practice Is to employ
hack and go to some point in the woods
The liackmaFl is paid TO geI, the necessary
accomplishments Ito days d,lhauch cry
complement OF lewd fcmalcs-arll ,he
gay young sports hold high cac nvaL
There is a certain saloon in Birmingham
with ladies entrance marked plainly
over the door. 1t is a favorita resort OF
this class OF females ands he youngsters
who are sowing their fl sit wild oats.
This is a gloomy phase of the training
for the business men, officials ard hus-
bands of the mex. generation The young
boy gets with a crowd of his elders, he
hears them beast OF drinking. He he's an
anIb.t ion to possess this accompltshm ent
The first drunk, hen it becomes fire.
quent thing. If he HAS a position he LOSES
1T. If he is going 10 school, he lags be-
hind his classes. He may be reformed ait
the expea Sc CT many a g. ay hsdr in a good
naahor's head. The chances are he will
nett he may fill felon's call, may be-
come an idictic sot or sore on the moral
side of humanity.
The police work for the capture CT
burglar bold the public officials to keep
from making enemies the preachers
desoans upon high sounding problems,
the freeing of Miss Cisneros, who is held
up by the New York yellow Kid jour-
mails NO be in such horrible plight,
whether or net they should receive
compensa ton for hel.alding The gospel. In
bhis vortex of on-bensf1cent pursuits the
old tru.sm that the shaping of the lives
of l,he young OF today is the moulding of
uhc next generation Is swallowed up.
Why not lei. these and equally as unim-
portapt topics go to the dingnation bow
vows and work for "culfew law" or
something of the kind THAT will keep the
youth from the nightly carousal. No boy
under Is has business out afGer night II
parental environments will not control
him yl1n Tine IeYW can. THE curfGW
law is good thing.
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