The Goodland republic., 1907-03-15

". G 4 Q. CoUU8N.
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The Fault OF Parents.

The Fault OF Parents.
From Kansas City star.
sNinetenths OF the parents who
have fncorrigfble children are respon-
sibIe for that condition themselves"
Van b Prather, probate judge Of
Wyandotte county, who IS IN charge OF
the juvenile court in the West Side
had this to say recently when asked
whose fault it was that children 8
or years old were sent to the reform
school at Topeka almost daily
a mother and father come into
this court with a boy" he cOntneud-
They say they can DO nothing with
him. He refuses to 60 to school ne
STAYS away from home until late at
night, he steals from the neighbOrs
and sometimes from stores They
ask me to send him to the reform
Now, I hate to send a boy to jail.
That is what It amounts to. So I ask
| the boy few questions. He Is usu-
ally a bright little chap. Does he
/ smoke? No. Does ne drink? No. Do
/ his parents ever ask him where he
goes at night? No. Would he take
a chance to be good IL some one would
take an interest in him? Yes he
would. They all want to do better
but don't know how.
'I then parole him He IS put un-
der the charge Of a probation officer
This omcer sees that he IS put into
school He gets a report from the
teacher concerning his attendance and
behavior. In addition the boy must
report here to me each Saturday
morning.
but the parents are the most tan
talizing people to deal with They
viii not take the proper interest In
the welfare Of their children A moth
er. in the evening, is tired. She al
lows the children to wander around
after dark without even asking where
they have been. Very likely the 1ath-
or is away from home, too, playing
poker in some saloon and drinking
Pretty soon the child gets into mis-
> chiefs bound to do so under such
conditions. Then the parents cry here
in court and say they have done thei1
best, but failed. Bah! I haven't the
slightest patience with them
We have used the above clipping
with the sincere desire that it may
set some of the parents Of GOOdlanc
| to thinking some sober thoughts.
! For several weeks now night has
| been made hideous with the yells Of
J children, both boys and girls who
are roaming around town smashing
glass on peoples pOrches, throwing
pebbles at houses and other mischiev
fous pranks which seem funny u
them. They are not particularly bad
children, and most Of them belong &
good, respectable families, but som'
Of them are sure to get into serious
trouble if they are allowed to keep VI
this practice Of roaming about nighu
A curfew law strictly enforced
would be Of immense benefit to th'
rising generation in this town.
II
II The washington Times commenting
: editorially on the amendment to the
Sunday civil bill recently passed
by congress-which we thing oul
readers know was by our owl
Kansas CONGRESSMAN - BOwersOcl
-expresses wonder at "the strength
After referring to the recent demon
of the temperance movement generally
stratfon, when a thousand citizens ol
the District Of Columbia went TO con
gress to plead for prohibition at the
national capital, and to the fact tha-
"a. 100000 American citizens have
Z voted for the elimination Of the Liquor
I q. showing of potential strength at tht
: polls which no politician can AFFORD tc
; ignore"
In kansas the whole state is pull
| sating with new energy toward law
enforcement
In Salina the most prominent join
keeper has given up, and has announ
ced his intention Of engaging in some
honest business
In Junction City the officers Of the
law are after Adolphus Busch, Ch'
millionaire brewer, who owns severa
buildings where joints were kept
In Eldorado the county aUtorne!
and the Judge are restraining Int
! express companies from delivering IA
, toxicating liquor contrary to law.
Wichita is waking up. More thar
: a thousand women publicly pleogeC
5 themselves to register and take par
z in the city election. Reform Is in In'
I air. Victory is coming
! The slogan Of the State Temperance
: union IS:
"On to nineteen hundred and eign
3 without q joint in the state
: Every GOOd1and man and woman
ought to ask themselves what ca
In do to help to make this come trueE
EVA II. MURPHY.