Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-07-22
BY Lillian Hartman johnson.

A babe was smothered between Two
mattresses by its mother In Durango
last week. That was a trifie, WASH
It? 1t is such a commonplace nap
peping In these modern days for
habe to be murdered by It's mother
Why. It isn't worth mentioning. The
city paper are full of such Interesting
little Items. And some OF us think
tbev are so nsatlonal-positiyely
dreadful to publish. you know; they
so disturb the refined soul. 1t Is only
n few coarse, vulgar-minded people
possessed of high sense of Justice.
who read them and lie awake Mt night
wondering how It can all be changed.
Yes. we have been told that TINS
murder happened In Durango, and iur-
tber that the man responsible for the
crime was permitted to escape. In
fact. we have not heard that the state
has made any effort whatever 10
bring the arch-fiend to Justice. ON,
mol Il was only some mothers daugh-
ter. a girls heart broken and a mur-
dered baby. This did not touch the
pocketbooks of the people or they
would have been extremely diligent in
bringing the offender to justice. Lo!
they would have had n thousand in
spectors here-a thousand detectives,
IL necessary. And has It touched the
hearts of any OF them? Or the brainsY
Has 1t made them Think Have any
of them felt what 1t would be to be
I'm this girls place? What do you
think--if you think?
One woman said to me: THE In
human wretch. to murder her child!
Crazed with shame and GRIEF. the
poor girl would have ended II all, but
was prevented by the officers OF the
law who caught her as she was about
to bury herself In the River of Sor'
rows.
The laws, social and statutory, com
PEELED her to kill her babe, and VIII
compel her to live and suffer worse
than death. II they can.
Can you conceive of the awful emo.
tions of a mothers brain when. nm
der such circumstances, she thinks
best to kill her child, and then herself?
The fear of the worlds long, nasty
finger OF scorn. its taunts. Its jeers!
Her great love for her babe. Her de-
cision to put 1t away from all harm!
To risk the terrors OF death and the
hereafter rather than that cruel finger
the ogre eyes. the naughty heads and
scornful tones. o, such terrible
momentl For say this mother loved
her child. We. yon and |, who uphold
the statutes and the more inexorable
rules OF society, compelled her to kill
IL. Not one mother In millions would
kill her offspring under such circum-
stances but to save It from shame. Yes
terday we had the story of n good
mother whose mind had become unbal-
anced because of the Illness of her
child. Mother love is the same ever. 1t
matters not whether minister or magi-
strate have officiated in the matter.
We license evil and crime of all
kinds by statutory law or blindness
to the conditions, in the latter case,
believing that we are maintaining our
own purity of life. No life is pure
and free from crime. but is an acces-
sorry. when II refuses to see and hear,
and to plead for justice Mt all times
when opportunity offers. No life is
righteous that omits an opportunity to
make conditions better for mankind.
Is the law that deprives an innocent
babe OF its life and drives the mother
to suicide a good law?
1t sentences thousands of the fairest
and best daughters OF the land to
death or lives of shame. 1t is this
poor Austrian girl today. 1t may be
your daughter. or your daughters
daughter tomorrow? You think not
that your daughter is too well raised,
the blood is too good, etc. Don't be
deceived. The dens of the great cit
les are supplied by the flower of cul-
ture and good blood" and this supply
numbers into the thousands.
Mothers. what do you think about
1t? While fathers and sons are inter
ested in dollargetting, could we not
busy ourselves on matter that is
striking at the root of the family tree.
the home, the very heart of organized
society.
Let us make new law that will do
away forever with the slaughter of
the Innocent. for Gods law is un-
changeable. and we can save thou
sands OF mothers and babes to lives
OF usefulness.
What is going to be done by the
state to make II possible for this
girl to live right?
She is safe while in the good Sisters
care. God bless them! They will do