The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-15
Legislation Urged.

upon all matters pertaining to the vel |
fare of children and child life, and
shall especially investigate the ques.
tions of infant mortality, the birth
rate. physical degeneracy, orphanage,
juvenile delinquency and Juvenile |
courts, desertion and illegitimacy, dan.
gerous occupations, accidents and dis.
eases of children Of the working
classes, employment, legislation af.
fecting children in the several states
and territories, and such other facts
as have a bearing upon the health, ef.
hciency, character and training OF
children"
One of the needs felt most acutely
by the conference was that of accur.
ate information concerning these ques.
tions relating to childhood. The ma.
tional government not only has the
unquestioned right of research in such
vital matters. but is the only agency
which can effectively conduct such
general inquiries as are needed for the
benefit Of all our citizens. In &c.
cordance with the unanimous request
of the conference, l therefore most
heartily urge your favorable action
on these measures.
II is not only discreditable to us az
a people that there is now no recog
nized and authoritative source of in
formation upon these subjects relating
to child life, but in the absence of such
information as should be supplied by
the federal government many abuses
nave gone unchecked; for public sen
timent, with its great corrective pow
er, can only be aroused by full knowl.
edge of the facts. In addition to such
Information 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
by law; and there should be correla
tion and dissemination of the knowl
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 deal
Ing with children, especially with those
who are in one way or another handl
capped by misfortune; and in the alb.
sence Of such knowledge each com.
munity is left to work out its own
problem without being able TO learn
OF and profit by the success or failure
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 confer
ence, but by large number of ma.
tional organizations that are disinter.
estedly working for the welfare of
children.
further urge that such legislation
he enacted as may be necessary In
order to bring the laws and practices
In regard to the care of dependent
children in all federal territory into
harmony with the otner conclusions
reached by the conference.
Safeguarding Children.
|. That the approval of the board OF
charities be required for the incorpo
ration of all child.caring agencies, as
we'll as amendments of the charter OF
any benevolent corporation which In
cludes child-caring work, and that 9TH
or than duly incorporated agencies be
forbidden to engage in the care OF
needy children.
2, That The board of charities,
through its duly authorized agents
shall inspect the work Of all agencies
which care for dependent children,
whether by institutional or by home.
finding methods, and whether sup.
ported by public or private funds. The
state has always jealously guarded the
interests of children whose parents
have been able TO leave them property
by recurring the appointment of a
guardian, under bond, accountable di-
rectly to tho courts, even though there
be a competent surviving parent. Sure
ly the interests of the child who is not
only an orphan but ponniless ought to
be no less sacred than those of the
more fortunate orphan who lnherlts
property. If the protection of the
| government Is necessary I'm the one
case 1t Is even more necessary in the
other II we are to require that only
incorporated institutions shall be al
lowed to engage in this responsible
| WV NJ ~ 10 htNNbbdIg 10 pIONluG lOr
public inspection, lest the state should
become the unconscious partner of
those who either from ignorance or in
efficiency are unsuited to deal with the
problem.
deem such legislation as is herein
recommended not only important for
the welfare Of the children Immediate
ly concerned, but important as setting
an example of high standard of child
protection by the national government
to the several states of the union,
which should be able 10 look TO the
nation for leadership in such matters.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House February l5 1903.
With the message, the president
sent TO congress the fun text of the
proceedings of the conference. The
recommendation of importance made
are dealt with In the communication
Of the president A point the confer.
enee was especially anxious TO empha.
size was that the sending OF chi dren
Of any age or class to almshouses is