The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-04
BEN LINDSEY COMING.
The kids Judge VIII Speak in To-
peka on February IS.

Ben B. Lindsey. of the juvenile court.
Of Denver. commonly known as the
kids Judge" IS coming to Topeka He
will speak in the First Baptist church,
Monday evening, February Is, under the
auspices of the Kansas Society for the
F-riendIess-
Lindsay arose on the judicial horizon
Of Denver in Il manner as unique as 1t
was surprising He had passed through
the stages Of Office boy, lawyers clerk
and dedglfng attorney, much as other
boys do, and as such attracted little
attention 1t was noted that he had
won the friendship of the county judge
in whose Office he had studied 1t was
also noticed that he had some political
ambitions. but these were not taken
seriously at first However. when ne
aspired to be county prosecutor and
seemed likely TO gain some following,
the machine concluded TO sidetrack him
It so happened that there was a va
caucy IN the county judgeshfp- The
Judge had been promoted to a federal
position and presume bly,, with the ap-
provaI of the machine had appointed
Judge Lindsey his successor for the
short uueXpfred term OF course, 1t was
expected that he would be dropped in
the next primary and go back to the
practice of law But something happen
ed and that was the appearance in the
arena of new idea which came to
Lindsey with the suddenueSs of a light
ring fash He had been holding court
as usual Toward the close of the day
when every body was tired. a very bad
boy was brought before him It was a
clear case and the tendency on the part
Of all was 10 hurry 1t through So the
judge did the reguIati ton thing. he SEN
fenced him to the reform school A Wo-
man spraug up from the crowd in the
court room and uttered a scream of
despaTtng anguish It was the mother
of the boy The older officers of the
court paid no attention. excepting TO
enGeavOr TO quiet her, but the cry. like
that Of a wild animal at bay and fight
ing for its life. had pierced the heart
Of the Judge He recalled the case and
took il under advisement- That night
he took the boy and went TO visit his
mother. He found them in wretched
circumstances and thought he saw that
the boys conduct grew out Of coudf-
tons rather than out of any inherent
Criniuality. He continued the case. en-
deavoring to help both the boy and his
mother and through it got his vision OF
the Juvenile court Of Denver
He found other cases AS his eyes
were opened to look for children he
found them in the jaiIs. beaten and
buIhed about by the police, struggling
in the city's life against terrible odds,
fer a bare living, victims of adult greed
for gain. tossed hither and thither as
if of no more value than chaf by the
systems and everywhere counted as
worth less than the cheapest things
about them which those who controlled
them desired Fad they We're indeed
but there came to him vision OF these
same children becoming good II they
could only have a chance and so he
developed his juvenile court and system
of probation But his court interfered
with the sacred rights and privileges
OF the classes He took the children out
Of the mills OF commerce It Interior
ed with the rights and the bullying
power OF the police It took fees away
from grasping officials and last and
worst the trail OF the children led
through the very depths Of the corrUp-
ton Of a great city's politics For this
last well as the other. Zen Lindsey
had to 60 At least the powers that be
said he had to go
But he didn't go. On the contrary
there began the battle, one OF the
fercest which has ever ragged in the
politics OF a great city The kids
Judge who appeared but little more
than kid himself. saw that he could
fight in a manner that would put the
wild beast. defending her lair. to
shame And how the kids helped him
When the political schemers endeavor-
ed, by the kes1est manipulation Of elec-
ton processes, TO defeat him. the chill
dren paraded the streets in great COM
pan4ez, raising their court yell.
Who Which. When
Wish we were men
Vote for
Our Little Ben
And the people elected Little Ben
as never a Judge IN that city had been
elected before And he is still saving the
children Thousands of them now and
only about five per cent of all his cases
failing him He Will tell the people Of
Topeka about it when he comes