The Jersey City news., 1906-06-08
SCHOOL Bill. HAS
MET OPPOSITION
Many Residents of the Dis
triot Of Columbia Oppose
Compulsory Education for
Those Under Fourteen
THINK CONGRESS MISGUIDED

PARENTS RIGHTS DISREGARD-
ED THEY THINK-SUFFRAGE
| ADVOCATED FOR THE DIS
TRICT.
WASHINGTON, June Z, 1906 Resi-
dents of the District of Columbia feel at
times that there is disposition on the
part of Congress to go out of it's way
to legislate for the district. This is
evident from the compulsory education
law that has recently been enacted.
Some of the well-intentioned but mis-
guided individuals of the ''reformer''
type throughout the country now pro-
pose still further legislation in the
shape of @paternalism'' for the dis
trict of Columbia, under the guise of
being for the benefit of the children.
Through the efforts of the altruists
a bill has been introduced to prohibit
children under the age of IA FROM
working in any capacity in the Dis
trict of Columbia. 1t is probably true
that these reformers have tried to get
some legislation of this sort passed in
their own States, and, failing have
taken up the matter with Congress, in
the hope of trying the proposed reform
in the District of Columbia
Whether children should be pre-
vented from working under the age of IA
years is a puzzling problem No one be-
lieves that they should be encouraged to
work, but there are instances where the
children of II and 13 years of age are
the sole support of widowed mothers.
and others of that age assist in keeping
them, get their education at night schools
and through habits of industry acquired
by reason of their working become ex-
cellent citizens. They seldom are found
later in life among the scum of humanity
There is no doubt that the purpose of
the compulsory education bill is excellent
and yet, like the child labor bill, it may
work real hardship to many families.
! These are both matters in which the
parents should have some fundamental
rights which Congress should not take
away from them Besides, there are
societies that have the welfare of the
growing generation at heart, and work
! for the best interests of the children and
at the same time the rights of the pa
rents are not entirely disregarded. as is
proposed in the bills before Congress.
| If the bill to prevent children under
the age of fourteen shall be enacted into
| law the result will be to turn into the
| streets hundreds of children who are now
| at work in occupations that are suited
to their years. AS a result many of
| them may become idle, and perhaps
develop criminal instincts. The object
of the enthusiasts, while commendable
to some extent, may be fruitful of results
different from what they anticipate.
1t often happens that they overshoot the
mark in their enthusiasm.
Representative Sims, of Tennessee, is
an advocate of suffrage for the District
| of Columbia He believes that few of
the Representatives are properly posted
as to the needs of the District of Colun,s
bia, and he thinks that the people ought
to make it evident to Congress that they
want representative government.
4 There have been a number of move
ments in favor of franchise for the city
but they have thus far been futile. It
is thought that Congress has plenty of
matters to take it's attention annually
without devoting time to governing the
| the Districts of Columbia, about which
so many know practically nothing de-
spite the fact that they live here four OF
six months each year.
The House committee on post-ofices
and post roads has authorized fayora-
the weighing of the mails in what is
known as the western division. The
weighing had progressed thirty-nine
days when the earthquake at San Fran
cisco disturbed the normal conditions.
The question arose as to the course to
be pursued. 1t was provided by the
Senate resolution that the day previous
to the earthquake should be taken az the
average. The House amended the re
solution by making the weight taken on
4 the thirty-nine days as the average.
II ;s xuo,.fI,1y IF x,f,rn1,,pnt in connection