The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-04-06

81 uDilL hunt do,cn the culprit and see that
full punishment is ,nCtcd out"
that make? Mother or father, 1t is all
the same to me. will hunt down the
culprit and see that full punishment is
meted out"
Punishment. always punishm ent!'
thought Mr.. Mitchell. "How eagerly
society punishes! How little it does to
PREVENT Then he added aloud:
"What would be your idea Of a fit
Ting punishment, colonel?"
81 am sorry to say that my ideas and
the law do not agree OH that point.
The law allotS seven years in the pen
ltentiary for abandonment Of q child.
But In this case there was an evident
Intent to kill. Otherwise the infant
would have been placed on n doorstep
or rather conspicuous spot where it
could be found. If | had my way, /
would give the guilty party 20 years at
least"
'What good would that do?" asked
Mr.. Mitchell. He said 1t so. quickly
and the words were such n surprise to
the colonel that the latter was non
plused for n moment, and then he
blurted out cXcitably:
"What good would it do? 1t would
teach him n lesson and others as we'll,
wouldn't 1t? 1t would show people of
this class that If they have children
they must care for them or 60 to pris-
on, wouldn't it?"
81 think it would be better" said Mr
Mitchell, Ito teach people that when
they have children they must care for
them without going to prison."
"a fine theory" sneered the colonel
"And how would you accomplish that,
pray"
"0l-I do not any that 1t IA n simpie-
problem. But, colonel, Mt present it
seems to me that the law has wrong
aim In view. If man abandons IL
child-l say man, for 1t Is the father
who should support mother and child
and 1t is only through penury that the
ordinary mother yields up her progeny;
II the father. then. fails In his duty,
the law locks him up, at present. How
does this work? First, the man is
placed where it becomes impossible
for him to do that, failing In which he
Is held culpable; secondly. the mother
Is left more helpless than before, for
the hope Of rcclaiming the man to her
side Is taken from her. and, lastly, the
child Is thrown into public institu-
tion, which, however we'll maintained,
Is poor substitute for a home with
parental influence"
And how would you have 1t work 2"
asked the colonel still sneering, but in
terested In spite of himself.
Il have Observed" continued Mr..
Mitchell, that foundlings belong to
two o'"r,--- --ho- K-i.st, ,ney ure Jne
children OF the very poor, to whom the
added burden of another mouth to feed
Is too great. The youngest born Is
abandoned in order that those who
have preceded 1t and who have earned
place In the parents hearts may not
suHer. In these cases l see a good field
Tor charity. If we would care for these
extra burdens Of the poor until such
tline as the parents might reclaim them,
they would not be abandoned. If wealso
extended helping hand to the parents.
hhdlng more remuneratlve work for
theh' by putting hope into their hearts.
they would have increased energy and
would soon learn to support what now
they cast adrift. The little ones would
spend but their earlier years i'm char.
itable asylums and would be taken
home when old enough to appreciate
what home means
And the other class?" asked the
colonel, this time without any sarcasm
In his tones
"Ah! That is the class which would
pe the more difficult to control and |
therefore would need the most strin- |
gent measures. These are the children
or shame. The punishment should be |
compulsory marriage and support Of /
wife and child. In these cases the |
mothers may be and often are as blam.
able MS the fathers. though the men are
the tempters. But surely the children
are innocent and should receive the
full protection of the state. First tbeir
birth should be legltImatized by the
marriage of their parents, and, second,
the rather should contribute to the sun.
port Of his child"
. "Ah. very pretty in theoryi" cried the