Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-02-24
CHILD LIFE A
NATIONAL ASSET
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT URGES
CONGRESS TO ACTION FOR
ITS CONSERVATION.
EXECUTIVE MESSAGE CALLS AT
TENTIoN OF LAWMAKERS TO
PENDING LEGISLATION.

ASoOSSfSit sent message |
to congress yesterday recommending
legis,a lion requested by the confer
ence on the care of dependent chill |
dren held in Washington Jan. 25-6.
The subject considered. the presi.
dent declares, is one of high i'm
portance to the well-being of the ma
tion. The census bureau reporter in
104, he says, that there were in
orphanages and cnii6ren's homes
about $4,000 dependent children.
There are probably $4,000 more (the
precise number never having been as
certainedJ in private homes, either on
board or in adopted homes. either on
the generosity Of foster parents. In
addition TO these there were $4,000
children in Institutions for juvenile
delinquents.
Each OF these children" says Mr.
! Roosevelt, represent eithe. a poten-
tial addition to the productive capac-
| ity and the enlightened citizenship of
! tho nation. or, if allowed to suffer
from neglect, a potential addition tc
/ the destructive forces of the commun-
/ ity. The ranks Of criminals and other
| enemies OF society are recruited in an
altogether undue proportion from
| children bereft of their natural homes
and left without sufh, ient care"
| The president calls the attention OF
congress to two bills pending be
| fore it that deal with the question,
| providing for ehildren's bureau in
the department of the interior which
shall investigate and report upon al
matters pertaining to the welfare of
children and child life and urges that
steps be taken in some form to ac-
complish the purposes revealed in the
measures. The national government
he says not only has the unquestioned
right of research in such vital matters,
but is the only agency which can eff
| fectiyely conduct such general in
quiries as are needed for the benefit
of all citizens.
at is not only discreditable to us
as a people that there is now no rec
oenized and authoritative source of in
| formation upon these subjects relat-
ing to child life" says Mr.. Roosevelt,
.but in the absence of such informa-
| ton as should be supplied by the fed
eral government many abuses have
gone unchecked; for public sentiment.
with its great corrective power, can
only be aroused by full knowledge of
the facts. In addition to such infor-
nation as the census bureau and
/ other existing agencies of the federal
government already provide, there re-
mains much to be ascertained through
lines of research not now authorized
bv law: and there should be correla-
ton and dissemination of the knowi-
edge obtained without any duplication
of effort or interference with what IS
already being done. There are few
things more vital to the welfare of the
nation than accurate and dependable
knowledge of the best methods OF
dealing with children, especially with
those who are in one way or another
handicapped by misfortune; and In
the absence OF such knowledge each
community is left 10 work out its own
nroblem without being able to learn
of and profit by the success 4: faliufe
of other communities along the same
lines Of endeavor. The bills for the
establishment of the children's bureau
are advocated not only by this con-
ference. but by large number of ma
tional organizations that are disinter-
estedly working for the welfare oil
children. and also by philanthropic,
educational and religious bodies in
all parts of the country
y further urge that such legisla-
ton be enacted as may be necessary
in order to bring the laws and prac-
tees in regard to the care Of depend
emf children in all federal tea :itory
into harmony with the other conclu-
sions reached by the conference.
President Roosevelt transmits with
his message a synopsis Uf the report
OF the conference on the care OF de-
pendent children, in which 1t is
pointed out THAT the home life is the
highest and finest product of civiliz-
/. alton. II is the goat nrolding force
Of mind and Of character. Children
should not be deprived of II except
for urgent and compelling reasons.
Children of parents of worthy charac-
ter. suffering from temporary misfor-
tune, and children OF reasonably eff
cient and deserving mothers who are
without the support of the normal
breadwinner. should as rule, be
kept with their parents. such aid be-
ing given as may be necessary TO
maintain suitable homes for the rear
lus Of children This aid should be
eiyeu bv such methods and from such
sources as may be determined by the
general relief policy of each commun-
itv preferably in The form Of private
charity, rather than Of public rellet
Except I'm unusual circumstances, the
home should not be broken up Tor
reasons Of poverty but only for con
sideratfops of ia f5cieney OF immoral
1i'y"
The conference report also Discusses
the vanaus methods IN NS=se for the
fs.a nm