The evening Republican., 1902-07-02
CURFEW FOR
WILMINGTON.
Address by The Rev. 0. K.
Miller, Field Secretary
OF Reform Bureau,
Washington, d. e.

It has been a benefit to the city in
the appearance of our streets after
Curfew rings; second, it has been q
benefit to the children, because most
all the trouble caused by children is
after 8 p. m, where they are allow
ed out; third, it is benefit to the
police in that it gives them a chance
to attend to other duties instead of
watching children. We have not
been obliged to make any arrests on
account OF the Curfew law: all the
cases We're settled by the police and
parents to the satisfaction of all
{ ,nccrned instructed the officers
70 be very careful in the enforce
ment of said law, SO that it would
not become unpopular, and | am
happy to say they have done so, and
enforced the law to the satisfaction
of all parties concerned, and | be-
lieve it to be a good ordinance if
care is used in the enforcement of
the same
Some one says: 1T is the duty of
parents to look aftel tt cir children
and keep them off the streets at
night" That is true. But suppose
they don't. Has the State or muni-
cipality no right in the natter It
is the duty of {the parents to teach
their children not to steal. But
suppose they don't Has not the
State and municipality right to
| forbid stealing, and to inflict pun
ishment upon the thief? Is 1t not
everywhere recognized as one of
the first duties Of the State to pro
i,ibit crime and things that lead to
| crime. The State does not throw
all the responsibility off on the pa
, rents Of making their children do
right, for if they commit crime
the State Furnishes them ust as if
they had no parents.
Likewise, as night street roaming
leads to crime, II parents do not make
their children keep Of the streets at
night, 1t is The duty of the civil
authorities to enact CurlcW orli-
nance compelling them to keep Off
The Streets at night ust IS if they
had no parents?
Some other obiector goes still
further and SAYS that The Curfew
mtcrteres with parental rights. Yes
And SO do the lu"s which compel
children, up to a certain aye, 10 90
t school certain number CT
manlhS each year, and t!en also
| the laws which forbid the employ
men, Of children under certain age
| in factories, botn Of wEiCI> have beeu
| found wise ana he !eo sary for the
| best interests Of the State The same
argument, tie good Of the State,
which demands The raging OF the
| bel! at \. Al. to call the CHI .dreD
! off the streets into school, also
demands The ringing Uf the Curicw
! ben al 8 Il. NJ. To Cal the Children
| from of the streets TAT; their homH.
These common objections to the
enactment oI II turirW orlinaur.'
are ably answered by Rev. DR.. VII
bur L. CrOftS, Superint 2lIeut ofthe
Reform Bureau at Washington, d,
| G., rs follows;
THE parents of more than l,U10
| towns and cities Of the United States
| moved BY mora tlan 1000 tragedies
Of juvenile crime have raaoltly or
d;iUed acting comparatively through
their own town and city Eynntji%,
| that their Chlidrau be home at night
| of I,t,. 4 t,l 1
| bell, which usually rIuG8 At s o ociOcl
| in winter. at 9 in summer.
| '"Tnus2 who argue against The re
| VlVal Uf tht turtew a, Il return to
! meIlevaliSn show ignorance Of his
tory or hack OF poetry. The ancient
| Curlew applied to oil AM yOulg
| alike.
| The modern Curfew has only the
I poetic Resemblance Of being an
evening bell As well object to the
modern words 'chivulry' and cru
SADIE beyatlSlt these words in meli-
! eral times t. G II war. Those who
argue that pAtJlts should regulate
| tins matter forget that government
IS but the cooperative act Of parents
who need to act together in cities
and villages. Nowhere can Curfew
be established except at the requesl
of parents expressed in ballots ana
| petitions. The law no more inter
feres with parental rights and per-
sonal liberty than kin lred laws On
compulsory education and child la
Dor now fully established in the
most enlightened Commonwealths.
''The school and the Curlew bell
are equally justified as necessary
safeguards of public morals and pros.
pecLire citizenship. Laws forbddlng
the sale OF liquors, tobacco and cor
rupt literature to minors have
long since illustrated the duty of the
State to protect immature youth.
GIadstone's great saying, that is
the chief purpose Of law to make it
as hard as possible to do wrong and
as easy US possible to do right, ap-
plies pre-eminentIy to laws to pro-
tect minors. No intelligent view CT
personal liberty justiiles turning
in fpnta If,1Sa tn pluu with ,,niynna