The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-25
TO SAVE CHILDREN
PRESIDENT RoOsEVELT HAS CALL
 ED A CONFERENCE.
In Letter to Charity Workers the President Says Dependent Chil-
 dren Should be Cared for in

Washington, Dec. 24.--"The best way to care for dependent childern Is In the family home" says President Roosevelt in a letter. With approxi- mately l50.o00 youngsters coming within that classification in the Unit ed States. The question has awakened the interest of many leaders in the cause throughout the country.
 The establishing of Conference was suggested in a letter submitted, to the president by leading charity workers of the United States.
 The president sent his letter to a. bout 100 prominent men. The estab- lishment of a bureau to gather infor- nation will he considered.
 The president in his letter said:
 T am confident that you will be impressed with the importance touch ed upon this letter and the desirability that there should be the fullest des- cussions of the propositions. a memo- randum of which enclose. Surely nothing ought to interest our people more than the army of children that are neglected. In Massachusetts many orphan asylums have been disconttnu- ed and thousands who have formerly gone to the orphan asylums are now kept in private homes, either on board with payment from public or private treasuries or in. adopted homes pro- vtded by the generosity of foster par ents. Many religious bodies have within the past ten years organized effective child placing agencies.
 T am accordingly inviting a number of men and women. a list of whom will announce to conference to be held in Washington January 25 and 26 The conference will open by a reception to the members at the White house January 25 at p. m. Can you attend? If you will. please communicate with Mir. James West, i543 Clifton street. N W. Washington D. C.,
 The letter of the charity workers suggesting the conference to formu- late a plan for the Presidents consid- eration, view to recommend con- gressional legislation says:
 The state has dealt generously with her troublesome children: but what is she doing for those who make no trouble, but are simply unfortunate?
 Destitute children certainly de- serve as much consideration and help as those who by reason of some al- legged delinquency. enforce the atten- tion of the state and become objects of 1t care; but only few states have fixed responsibility for this class of children Their adoption is left in many localities to the fidelity of vol untary agencies without requiring proper standards of merit and efici- ency ana without dennato reSponStDl~ lity to the state or to the community. According to special bulletin of tho United States, there were in orphan asylums and kindered institutions on December 31, 1904, not less than s9,- 901 children. In addition to these there were probably some 50,000 de- pendent children in family homes, un- der supervision.
 'Tn many states, however. little or no child saving work is done; and In many states the organizations ! are greatly handicapped by the lack of ap- preciation and of adequate financial support.
 Tt is of the highest importance to the welfare of this vast number of future citizens that all child saving work shall be conducted on plane of efficiency; that in the placing of child ren in families, the utmost care shall be taken to exclude all undesirable ap- plicants; that every precautton shall be taken in the subsequent supervision of the children. to prevent neglect. overwork, insufficient education, inad- equate moral and religious training and that restrictions shall be so car- ried on as to insure the best physical, mental moral and religious training of each individual child and to fit it for active and creditable citizenship"
 Judge Lindsey of the Denver Juven- lie court, Jacob Riis of New York, Booker Washington, of Tuskegee and United States Commissioner of Educa- ton Brown are among those to be in- vited to the conference.