The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-27
WILL FIGHT THE LAW.
L. v. Keck Says He Intends TO
Test Curfew.

s'couyre-fewn (cover flre), aud after
wards corrupted into the word sscn'r-l
few, pr0yincialism, which called
the attention of the villagers to the
''tire- pot in their respective dwellings,
as they had no fire place, nor chimneys,
being a pEccaution against fires in
their frame abodes. This signal was
the rigging of the village church bell,
immortalized by Rosa Hartwich
Thorpe, and familiar TO all of US, TO
wit; ''curfew shall ring tonight.n
Now, after period of progress, edn-
cation and civilization of nearly One
Thousand Years, in the "Athens OF
West Virginia" where the bells of
colleges, schools, churches and the tenn
pie OF Justice have rung through the
ages, the halcyon tones OF freedom,
We are comfOrted with the remains OF
ignorance. brute force and crankism,
under the guise OF christian morality,
10 the effort to infliet upan the youth
Of our city Of over 10, coo, police pro-
lection, abridging their rights; doubt
ing their morals; suspecting their In
tegrity and dwartling the true instinct
and reason OF our noble boys and girls;
and especially after the attention of
the Solicitor had been called to the
ordinance having been declared un-
constitutional by The Supreme Court
OF Texas, on Jane Is, 1898, Ia ha-
beas corpus proceeding, arising from
TIVE effort TO inforee an ordinance, al
mist identical to this one acted upon
last Monday. This is recent decis.
Ion upon the ordinance Curfew;a and
there are numerous decisions upon or
dinances being unconstitutional be-
cause OF '.unrsasonableness aod tres
friction Of personal liberty" embrac-
ing the same questions, but under diff
ferent titles,
My position is this, viz: until the age
of accountability. child cannot COM
NIT an offence, after that time they
can be punished for commission OF
crimes, but they cannot be prohibited
from exercising their legal rights, fer
fear they might commit an offence.
Again our statute provides that a
guardian cannot be appointed for a
minor Ia years OF aye, without his, or
her consent, aud he, or she, has til
right to choose his, or her guardian,
but under this ahominable relic OF the
forgotten ages OF corruption and cou-
quest, they have no rights until f6.
] do not blame all the members OF
council for this miscarriage, for some
OF them were under the impression
that everybody wanted the streets
cleared OF the ''youagp boys and girls
at o'clock Ia winter and o'clock 10
summer, so the "old" boys could have
more room,
What caused this uphea val? Was IL
because three or four little boys were
smarter than tiye paid policemen and
on our most public street secured some
candy etc?
| A few years since we had an offenc'
committed 10 this town, greater tha
these boyish misdeeds, and not b
boys either, but II was "hushedr ant
40 ''curfewa ordinance, either
know all those boys aud do uol
think they are desparadoes aud be
yond redemption, as these foolish
people would have you believe, hut on
The contrary they are Kind i,rart, d
boys, when You Know them, aud as
DIR. |. G, White suggested, hlw many
Of these "churchyn people have ever
given Que OF these boys Kind word
OF an encouraging, helping hand?
| Talk about missionaries? | think
some Of these mGralists should employ
some td their abundant leisure, from
saaried positions, TO lifting aud lead
ing these boys, and not place them 10
the hands OF paid policemen, who
fromcontactwith tie vicious, naturally
lose some Of the "human sympathy"
that once beamed from their words and
actions, before they donned the 'blue
and brass"
This prohibition stimulates decep.
tion, intrigue and defiance. do not
compromise the conduct OF The "Jesse
James gang" nor intimate to encour-
courage them, or Others in criminal
acts, but when | know of met in this
town being guilty Of worse crimes,
and no ''curfews" for them, | cannot
but remark consistency thou art a
Jewel"
The very men and women who have
been so active ia "pulling" the cur
few bell rope, have heard the repeated
warnings through the papers, and on
the streets, OF gamollng JOINTS,
'speak-easies' ana assisnation dens,
wnien boys under 10 cannot enter, as
the seats are hlled with the older boys
ana elrls.
| why ala tney not make the age 5U
instead OF 10:
Ii would have been Just as legal and
just as proper. AS soon as child
oreatnes JUS riept as a cltizen attacn,
and all the courts hearken TO It's plead
lngs, just the same as IN years OF ma
Jorlty'
Inc ordinance IS Illegal because
iast MONDAY nignt the council amend
ed the ordinance and passed the
amended ordnance The same evening.
Out OF III counciimen, Two were
raised IN Morgantown; one In King
wood, one 10 Ireland, and the residue
10 the country until they arrived at
manf'oo1's age. What do they know
of The EVIL influence OF the streets? L
DO not think there Is one OF them
who has children this ordinance Will
anect.
why 40 the churches and schools
want to ''resoluteu the boys and girls