The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-04-07
on CHILDREN'S CRIMES.


ly, in their desire to do right, do what
is almost the exact opposite. They
see something that they consider is
wrong and then rush at once to the
framing of a law to punish for that
wrong doing. The idea of punish
ment is ingrained in the human race.
and yet when we punish we ought to
have another idea, we ought to strive
to elevate the wrong doer, to show
him that it is possible for him to rise
and become a worthy citizen. 1t is
criminals. 1t is for this purpose that
the two houses have passed bill
whereby under certain circumstances
sentences may be suspended. the mod
ern tendency being that unless a man
is an incorrigible criminal. about the
worst use you can put him to is to
imprison him.
BY a bill which came up for second
reading before the House yesterday,
and which was presented by one of the
most kindly and tender hearted of its
members, it was desired to stop chill
dren under fifteen years from smOll-
ing tobacco. In essence the idea is Il
good one. Children under that age
should not smoke. Smoking under
any circumstances is a vice, though
minor one, among men, and it GER
tainly should be discouraged. So far,
so good. But is a law such as was
proposed going to help the matter.
The act in its first section stated
that 1T shall be unlawful for any mi
nor under the age of fifteen years to
smoke tobacco" The second section
ran whoever violates the provisions
of this act shall be fined not more
than ten dollars, or shall be imprls-
oned at hard labor, or without hard
labor, not more than twenty days;
and for second conviction shall be
committed to a Reform School for
such time as the Court shall see fit
This was indeed Draconic AS the
law came before the House it was GER
tainly calculated to increase crime. \
child of from eight to ten years would
be liable to be sent to Jail by some
joulter-headed magistrate and initial
ed into the intricaces of crime among
hardened associates. There was II
simplicity of criminal training about
this, which would even suit the great
unpaid" of the English bench, and
whom Labouchere pillories weekly in
Truth.
This Draconic section was however
amended to read only COMMITTED 10
a Reform School, fine and imprison-
ment being struck out. But even thel:
it is not much better. \ child caught
smoking in Kau must be torn from its
parents, sent to Honolulu, and mix
up with boys sent up for larceny, as
sault and battery, obscenity, house
breaking and other crimes. The ten
year old child when it returns to Kau.
will probably bring back7a somewhat
full whether it will be knowledge of
kind that will tend to elevate or to
help it on its course of growing into
a good citizen.
The Star objects strenuously against
making criminals of the children of
the country. TO put such a law upon
the statute books is TO manufacture
criminals. 1t is not by law that you
can prevent children falling into the
vicious habit of smoking. 1t is by
working among them in the schools
and in the homes. child who COM
mits fault, even a serious one, is not
necessarily "A criminal The writer
once knew of a case where a boy often
stole. 1t was an incorrigible habit
apparently. He had to leave school,
and was under strict charge of tu-
tor. He outgrew the habit, and is to-
day brilliant statesman. Sent to
reformatory he might or might not
have become an accomplished thief.
This is an etreme case. Because few
children set fire to house when play
ing with matches, they are not in
cendiaries, nor should they be brought
up and punished as such.
The worst possible thing we can do
is to put laws on our statute book by
which minor children can be specific
ally rendered criminals. To make
smoking tobacco a crime for minor
children is to do this, and to pass
such laws is itself crime in the eyes
of the true moralist.