The Detroit times., 1909-01-26
CHILDREN SHOULD
FEEL INFLUENCE
Of HOME
INDIVIDUALS MUST AssI$&lk UP
LIFT OF UNFORTUNATELY JAYS
PRESIDENT RoosEvELT-wls,
DOM MUST BE EXERCISED.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-Preslueht
Roosevelt delivered an address at the
conference on the care OF dependent
children, which was formally opened
at the White House yesterday. Tho
historic east room was the scene or
The meeting. The 200 delegates were
received by the president In the east
room before the conference was call
ed 20 order The importance OF the
preservation OF the home was the cen
trail theme around which the discus
sior revolved The subject under
consideration was Should the break
ing OF home be permitted for rea.
sons Of poverty, or only for reasons OF
inefficiency or immortality"
President Roosevelt said In part:
There can be no more Important
subject from the standpoint OF the
nation than that with which you are
to deal: because, when you take care
OF the children you are taking care OF
the nation OF tomorrow, and II Is In
cumbent upon every one OF us TO do
all in our power TO provide for the
interests of those children whom cruel
misfortune has handicapped at the
very outset OF their lives
Il earnestly hope the members or
this conference will take a progressive
stand SO as to establish goal toward
which the whole country can work.
In other words, | earnestly hope that
each OF you will consider not only the
interests OF his own immediate local
ity, but those of the nation as a whole
There are several different types
OF conditions which you are trying 10
meet. believe we all have come TO
the conclusion that where possible
the thing TO be done for the child is
10 provide a home for II, and that
where that Is not possible we should
make the conditions as nearly as pos
sible like those which the child would
have In a home. There Is ample room
for all existing institutions, but the
work OF extension should so far as
possible be a work of extension In
home placing.
Types Of Children.
There are half a dozen dierent
types of children for whom we need
to care. There Is frst Of all the com.
plsts orphan, the child who has lost
both father and mother. For this
child we wish to make a permanent
provision. My own belief Is that this
child should be placed in a home.
I'VE then have 10 meet the case,
one OF the most distressing" where.
the father has died. where the mother
would like TO keep the child, but sim
ply lacks the earning capacity. Sure
ly In such case the goal towards
which We should strive is 10 help
that mother so she can keep her home
and keep the child In 1t: How the re.
lief shall come, public, private, or by
a mixture of both. In what way. you
are competent to say and | am not.
Then we come to the case OF the
child who must temporarily be taken
away from the parent or parents but
where IL Is not desirable that the sep
aration be permanent. Those children
OFFER cases for which this institution
Is peculiarly fitted.
There are other problems OF course,
that you will have TO deal with-for
instance, the crippled child, the child
that cannot be treated at home for a
disease but yet can be completely
cured in a. hospital: and the case of
the child whom parents are hopelessly
vicious or hopelessly inefficient.
Here we must provide for the ex-
ercising of the greatest wisdom In
knowing Just where 10 draw the line;
so as to know just when II becomes
necessary TO say that even the un-
doubted advantages of keeping the
child In a pretty poor home II that
home Is It's own, are counterbalanced
by the fact that the home has become
a source OF menace and danger.
individuals Must Help.
THE government can do much. But
never forget that the government can
not do everything: there must always
be help by individuals and associa-
tons outside, religious and philanthro-
pic associations of many different
Kinds must cooperate or we cannot
get the best results Remember al
ways that government consists Of
the men In It, and II you do not have
the right men handling any part. then
that part will work badly.
I'm the last analysis the human Is
the vital equation In dealing with all
these questions"
The speakers who made strong
pleas for the preservation OF the fam
lily ties included Michael ]. Seaman,
president New York Catholic Home
Bureau; Ernest p. Bicknell. president
conference charities and corrections
1909: James F. Jackson. superintend-
ent Associated Charities, Cleveland,
o.; Judge William II DeLacey, OF the
washington, d. c.. Juvenile court, and
DR.. Edward T. Devine. OF New York.
Fear Water Monopoly.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-The pro-
a a