The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-11
a TIMELY MOVE.
Is thu, Of the Humane societ!for
Curiew Ordinance. We
START ONTllEDOwNwARppATH.

BY MANY A. erRL AM boy
WOULD BE PREvENTsy BY
THE ENFORCEMENT OF SUCH
AN oRpISANcE.-rHE PEA OF
uNcoNsTlTuTtoNALlTYIs NOT
WELL TAKES--cAPTAi3 RAW
IING's STRONG pLEAF Ac-.
TIoN By COUNCIL NJST TUES.
DAY EVENING. 1yl.it7s
The introduction befye,Sthe council
committee on ordinance OF the curfew
ordinance by the lcadFs In the West
virginia Humane saiety forms the
topI OF interested dk Lsslon, and the
sentiment OF the community generally
Is that the ord,naJe ought to pass
OF next Tuesday evhing's meeting OF
council. The objectpn OF unconstItu-,
tIonalltv has been hised, bue II Is an
objection that doe3 not shold water,
similar measures ;pw being enforced
with marked SUCCESS In Omaha, Kan.
sas City. st. JOSEF and other western
cities. Persons wlh half an eye open
carot blind themselves to the fact TINT
taere Is deplora,le laxity of morals
among the youngIn some parts OF tho
city. directly brouhlt about by the loi-
,erlng In streets AID ALLEYS, OF youth OF
both sexes. A ciffew ordinance en-
forced by the autbritIes cannot fail 10
remedy this evil. - I III
In this connection, the IntellIvencer
presents below thdaddress made before
the committee OF ordinances by Cam
tain C. j. Rawlljg. The speaker pre-
sented the case ia clear manner. He
said:
In discussing the aIyisabilIty OF
adopting the fofn OF ordinance here
presented for bur consideration, the
Humane soclett does not Wish to IN
duly press lis flews onlyou, or TO be
considered opitonatiye, but presents
this form as a Iasis for the formulation
OF an ordinance that may come nearer
to meeting til views(o OF the greater
Number OF THO council. It being espec-
Tally desired tlat an ordinance OF this
character be tassed at this time. At
the same time, lit may not be out of tho
way 70 state that the ordinance before
you embraces much OF the Language
and oil Of the features Of 'the Omaha
ordnance. Changed or modified to bet
Ter suit, 1t Is thought our condition and
surroundings, The society has Inform
alton from thA above named city that
the law there has worked satisfactor-
lily and kept children Off the streets.
and out OF mi;chief after the prohibits
cd hour" AID on the principle that
the end justices the means" our in
tocmant addsA"I believe It is a good
thing, and SO does the chief. of police.
A slight examination of the proposed
ordnance Will show that Section de-
fines the age OF the minor who will
come within the purview OF the ordl-
nance, restrictions as to hours, excep-
tons and conditions OF such. and pre-
sccibes the penalty for violation. X
The second section defines the duty
OF the parent or guardian, or person
having charge OF the minor, and his
or her responsibility in relation TO the
public In this connection, and, as above,
prescribes the penalty for violation.
The third section embodies qualifying
features. relieving the ordinance OF any
grounds for the charge that this Is an
attempt TO fasten on the people strIn-,
gent or restrictive measures that would
be hardship on any. -
Some m embers OF this body may,
have doubts as to The power OF the
municipal government to control this
universally acknowledged evil, or IT,,
having the power, that the propriety
Of Its exercise Is doubtful. or indeed
that their duty. demands their interier-
ence In any manner in.What they may
term the domestic affairs OF the fam
LIZ, which. by the way, it may be stated
there Is no desire to 90. Yielding in q
mchner to this objection, at the same
tine not admitting It's correctness, we
wcG!a. with due respect, suggest here
that ell OF us have the welfare Of the
coumun!tF; at heart. The general public
looks to your body as the city legisla-
ture 70 enact such measures as may
rebound to the benefit OF all, and to the
authorized city officials to execute
these measures, each in his proper
sphere or line Of duty, The test OF n
law is in its enforcement. We would
as petitioners. therefore ask for the
passage OF this measure, and for its
proper enforcement. II, after a fair
test, 1t Is found TO be Objectionable in
any feature to the majority OF the peo-
pie, modify 1t wherein 1t is objection
able. or repeal It ifit is oppressive on
the law-abiding citizens. There are
some people, 1t may be observed, who
would object to any restrictive measure,
not, It may be believed being In way
clear in their own minds as to the DIFF
ference Of the law-abidIng and the II
cense OF the law-defying. but the opin-
ion OF such should not have undue
weight with you, as It sometimes nee
essary to cave people from themselves.
Your petitioners, the hackers OF this
ordinance, feel so confident OF the result
thnt wonld follow It's passage, that n
test as proposed would be welcomed
satisfied that n repeal will never be
asked for by any large body OF the
community, and by adopting the sug-
sestion you will have; done your duty
towards the citizens and the advocates
OF the measure will havez 40 reason to
complain.
Further, in support OF this position,
we would cal! your attention 70 a mem
.orablc incident that occurred In the
primitive age, the scene laid In what
may be termed the Grade OF Man
kind" when the first man born OF wo-
man asked OF the Almighty Ruler Am
! my brothers. keeper?" This. In splr-
It. was answered nearly four thousand
years later. illustrated by parable on
The rond to Jericho andSby the sacr!-
Nee OF the cross or Calvary, besides
being the very spirit. I, Of Christianity
dating. therefrorn Tho ulIestfon NAV