Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-17
RESULTS OF cuRrnw LAWS.

At national convention of the Boys
and Girls Home Employment associa-
ti0n held at indianapolis. Indiana. in
1894. II discussion was had of the great
Increase OF crime among the youth of
American cities. and curfew legisla-
tion was strongly advocated as u
remedy. To the agitation thus begun
the Chicago News attributes the rapid
spread of such legislation among the
cities and important towns of the coun-
try, which has been in progress since.
The News says that over 200 of them
have adopted curfew ordinances within
about three years, and adds:
AN effort has been made to get n
consensus Of opinion from the author
tiles OF towns in which the law has
been enforced as to Its value from a
moral aspect and in no instance has
there been an unfavorable report. The
mayor OF Lincoln, Neb., says that the
law has been a complete surprise to
both parents and police that there has
been n decrease OF 10 per cent In the
number of youths arrested and that no
Increase In the number of police has
been necessary. He says "a decided i'm
provement in the youth of the city,
superintendent OF the Nebraska reform
school says there has been a marked
decrease In the number of commit
ments to that institution from those
cities in which the curfew ordinance
Is in force.
"The chief OF police of ST. Joseph
Mo-. says that after seven months
enforcement OF the curfew ordinance
II has been instrumental in keeping hun
dreds of children off the streets and
that there has been "a reduction Of
fully 90 per cent In the commitments
to the reform school from that city.
"'rhe mayor of another city says
that for two years before the adoption
of the ordinance fourteen boys We're
committed to the reform school. but
in the two years following its enforce
ment not one had been committed The
chief of police Of Omaha snys that
there has been no occasion to make an
arrest under the ordinance for he
adds, when 0 O'Clock comes the children
make 1t point TO go home. II Is now
an easy mattar for parents To enforce
home rules While some OF the author
tiles are more enthusiastic than others
regarding the operation Of the law
there is not one who IL adverse in his
criticism of the working and effect of
the ordinance.
How such n law would operate in
a city OF the size of Chicago can be de-
cidod only by experience but the in
terests involved are sufficiently import
ant TO make II worth while to test its
efficiency, 1t might be n little more
difficult to enforce such an ordinance
In Chicago than It is in Kansas City
or Omaha. hut this argument is rather
In favor of It's adoption than in OPPOSE
tion to it,"
The progress and results Of curfew
legislation comprise an interesting
phase OF sociological development in
the United States at the present time.
They show how the duties and functions
OF parents are being transferred to and
assumed by the police power of the
State; in other words they show the
growth OF paternalism in government
of the most pronounced kind. Govern
ment ownership OF public utilities
would not affect the domain of person.
nj duty, privilege and responsibility to
degree that compares with the ex-
tent to which that domain is affected
by government control of the children
of the household.
Il seems to he quite true that a
large proportion OF parents in American
cities have lost, or are failing to ex-
ercise. control over their children; and
this being so. cGrfew legislation is not
only justified but made necessary. The
children must be cared for and con-