The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-01-13
THE CURFEW SYSTEM
Successfully Adopted by Three
Hundred Cities.
Argument For and Against Its ne
yivaI - Improved Conditions
Resulting from Its OBJ

The arguments against the revival OF
the curfew mention among other oD-
iections that 1T savors of a return to
medievalism and that it intereIeres
with parental rights and with personal
liberty. The advocates of the move
ment reply that there is no more medl-
eyalism connected with the ringing OF
the curfew than there is with any other
custom that happened to be practical
then and is still followed, and that the
sentiment connected with the mere word
should not be allowed to confuse It's
latter-day meaning.
AS to an interference with the rights
of parents, they point to what may be
called a similar interference in the mat
ter of compulsory education, imposed,
as the curfew is, for the good of the
state, and the question concerning per-
sonal liberty is compared with the Civ
ing of edged tools to infants for play
things.
AS q clinching argument in favor OF
restricting the hours for children to
be on the streets at night, 800 towns
where the ringing of the curfew has
been adopted are noticed, and the de-
crease in crime pointed out. Lincoln,
Neb., has, the mayor of that town re-
ports, already seen vast improvement
in many directions; there are fewer
arrests and there is decided social adj
vancemcnt. Omaha reports an equally
satisfactory state as result of the es-
tablishment of the curfew, and Des
Moines, Denver, Leavenworth and
Yankton, S. D., have given similar testi-
mony as to the excellence of the rule.
The Ontario act is thought by some
to incorporate the most concise and con-
sistent rules, which may be also appli-
cable to American towns and villages.
This act is as follows:
Ontario, 1892. - First - Municipal
councils in cities, towns and incorpo-
rated villages shall have power to pass
bylaws for the regulation of the time
after which children shall not be in the
streets at nightfall without proper
guardianship, and the age, or apparent
age, of boys and girls, respectively,
under which they shall be required to
be in their homes at the hour appointed,
and such municipal council shall in
such case cause bell or bells to be
rung at or near the appointed time, as
a warning, to be called the "curfew
BELL" after which the children so re-
quired to be in their homes or off the
streets shall not be found upon the pub
lie streets except under proper control
or guardianship or for some unavoid-
able cause.
Secondary child so found after the
time appointed shall be liable to be
warned by any constable or peace Off
Ger to go home, and if after such warn
ing the child shall be found lettering on
the streets such child may be taken by
such constable to its home.
Third-Any parent or guardian may
be summoned for permitting his child
to habitually break said bylaws. after
having been warned in writing, and may
be fined for the first offense one dollar,
without costs, and for the second of
Tense two dollars, and for third, or
any subsequent offense, five dollars.
The SUGGESTION that the curfew shall
ring the tune of Home, Sweet Home''
is made with the hope that the ringing
OF the bell shall be considered as an in
vitations to return to the home rather
than as command to do son. Y.
Tribune.