Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-01
MAKES URGENT PLEA FOR
PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS

Los ANGELES, Jan. 31.-[Editor
Herald: While at the juvenile court
recently Mrs. Vance said: "I am out of
patience with you good people. Don't
talk to me about religion or temperance
when you fail to provide places for
my boys to get a drink of water with
out going into temptation to secure it,
Mrs. Vance is a woman with a great
mother heart, and my boys" are those
over Ia years who come under the juris-
diction of the juvenile court and are
given to Mrs. Vance to mother, the
state refusing to provide board money
for those over that age, the most sus-
ceptible, trying, critical age of a boys
life, his destiny being decided at this
age more than at any other period.
Let the public multiply George Junior
republics and polytechnic high schools
until these often worse than motherless
and fatherless boys are given an all
round education. It surely would be
more conducive to good citizenship
than building jails and penitentiaries.
We are promised better prison condi-
tions in our city. The unfortunate in
mates of our city jail are the product of
our licensed poisons, for in those Sec
tlons where the sale OF alcoholic liquors
is prohibited the results are depopula-
tion of the jails. pauperism is scarcely
known. the people are industrious and
prosperous, with homes and bank ac-
counts.
We visited saloonless Santa Ana last
week and found an empty Jail. and was
told this had been its condition for
some time. Outlaw the liquor traffic
and save the expense OF jails, but as
long as we license the manufacture of
unfortunates let us care for them hu-
namely. Many of these need hospital
treatment for body and mind, and
should not be branded as 'jailbirds.'
God makes his sun to shine upon the
Just and The unjust" Have we a right
to deprive anyone Of sunlight and fresh
air?
But to return to the thought in the
first part of this letter. Seventy per
cent of the human system is composed
of water. We can go long time with
out food and endure tia fast some
times is a physical benefit-but water
we must have. A good drink of water
will often quiet the cravings of hun
ger. We call your attention to the cry
ing need of fountains. not only for the
need of the unemployed. but the en-
ployed, a courtesy to our tourists and
| for our own convenience as well.
When our chamber of commerce vis-
ited Salt Lake City one of the party, a
Main street grocer, was so grateful for
the fountains of that cit he came home
and gave an immediate expression oil
that gratitude by placing a fountain in
front of his store for the public and his
patrons.
Salt Lake has fifty small ones and
several larger ones. besides forty horse
troughs-bought placed and cared fol
| by the city.
While they acknowledge the need. our
city officials say they have no funds
with which to buy, but probably would
| furnish water, make connections and
care for them. Who will help to Sc.
Icure the fountains. societies or individ-
uals? Both are interested. 1t means
you. The most gracious courtesy thai
could have been shown the coming fleet
would have been to provide for this
| necessity.
The thought is to place inexpensive
sanitary fountains at convenient dis
tances in the heart of our beautiful city
Will you send contributions to the
writer, who is chairman of the fountain
committee of the Civic league and
w. C. T. u. CITY federation?
MRS. HESTER T. GRIFFITH.