The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-10-04
THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN
Address Of Mrs. 0. c. Fontaine Before
the W C. T. u. Mothers Meet.
ing last Monday

In discussing the rights OF children,
vide field OF thought opens before
us, for in this we come face to face
with the vast possibilities of mankind.
In the childIen are stored up the won
drous latent powers, the direction Of
which shall mike for the veal or woe
OF the whole race This being true,
the future calls to Us, yea, demands,
that the children shall receive from Us
that which will enable them to attain
to the largest possibilities in store for
them. 1t is true we cannot remove all
Of the hlDdrances from their way, but
we can do much TO prepare tnem for
the trials along the way. God in His
infinite wisdom spoke into existence
the material universe before lie created
man, its occupant and keeper. Even
man himself had physical being be-
fore he became living soul, God
teaching us 10 this not TO cast aside
lightly physical conditions
Children have right to be born
normal, with no predisposition towards
that which will hinder their develop.
ment. 1t is n known fact that "the
sins Of the parents are visited upon the
children unto the third and fourth
generation. Some children are born
drunk, aud the Unsuitable, burning
thirst for liquor has leaped every BAT
rier and held them captlveS at its will
In this commercial age Of get and
have, when men and women are bend
ing every energy for the almighty dol |
lar and coyelousness is eating the very
heart out Of our civilization, children |
are being born natural thieves, aud |
here and there we find disposition so
strong that they must he watched by |
their associates. No wonder that our |
jais aud reformatories are crowded
| might 60 on to speak OF children
cursed with an ungoyernable temper,
or nervous debility, or tendency to-
ward deception, and thousand other
evils, but time fails me to mention how
their rights are set aside and their lives
blighted forever. Will we never learn
that while the coming generation is
reaching forward with one hand to
grasp the mighty possibilities Of the
future, that with the other it is reach
ing backward aud holding with awful
grip the old past with all of its folly
aud sinP Will not the time come when
innocent childhood will find the past
no longer hudrance and with both
hands reach fotth into life's Ut sulhed {
morning and gather to its heart the {
highest good.
So far ! have only spoken OF the
light of the child to be free from the
wills OF heredliy. II also has right
inder the operation of the same law
o that which Is best. Shall we take
ess thought of our children than the
atmer takes of cattle2 He regards
he law of heredity and uses it to the
highest advantage, and we see the pro-
Incts OF his care wearing blue ribbons
n the contest. With equal care mag
lot our children go forth to the con.
est, not only TO wear marks of dis
inction, but hear at last the Judge OF
ii the earth say, "Well done, thou
.ood and faithful servant, enter thou
n the JOY of thy Lord"
Environment is great force in
moulding character. II a child has a
light to the best under the law of
eredity, he is entitled to the most
avorable surroundings for the develop
lrut Of his latent forces. We can do
luch here, and no effort honestly put
orth shall go unrewarded. look
pom two fields of corn, one of which
luSuriant and bending beneath lis
Weight of ripened grain, the other is
united, weak aud fruilless. What j.,
ne difference? The same kind of
Drn was planted at the same time in
9th, the seasons have been the same
Thy then this difference? The soil of
ne was rich and was TILED, the soil III
the other was poor and the weed, u
ere allowed to grow. The difference +,
as caused by the surroundings. What
the chilurenP In some, pressing
inward, developing into fine charnc, :,
re and achieving success Others, -,
good by birth, becoming developed =,
I'd failing in all Of the higher aud :,
jblcr attalnments. What is the diff
renee? Let US look closely. Draw
side the curtains of the home, the
Ill of the young life. | find in one dr
chncss of love, sympathy, truth aud ~
nifty. In the other there is drought 10
these. In one | find the soil kept -
can, the weeds of evil all pulled out;
the other the soil is overgrown with
ings that hurt and mar and ruin. OF
Children are worth more than corn. o.
hrist said that men were more than a ~,