Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-02-18
PRESIDENT SENDS TO CONGRESS
STRONG MESSAGE ON THE
SUBJECT.
FROM REPORT Of CONFERENCE
Points Out How Closely the interests
Of the Country Are Involved In
the Welfare Of the Dependent
Child.

Is believed, IT enacted into law, will
make an important epoch in the future
wcll.bcing Of the dependent children
OF the nation, Is recommended In q
special message by President RoOsc.
welt to congress. in which he makes q
strong plea in the interest Of children
coming within this class.
Substantially the message was as
follows:
On January 1875, 1909, there Assem-.
BLEED in this city, on my invitation. n
conference" on the care Of dependent
children. To This conference there
came from nearly every stat. in the
union men and women actively cngag-
ed in the care Of dependent children,
and they represented all the leading
religious bodies.
The subject considered Is one OF
Elgh i~mpOrtanc" TO the well being OF
the nation. Tn" census bureau report
ed In 1904 that there were In orphan.
ages and childrcn's homes about 3d..
600 dependent children. There are
probably 10000 more che precise
number never having been ascertain
cd, In private homes, either On board
or in adopted homes provided by the
generosity OF foster parents. In ad.
ditiOn to these there were 5000 chill.
dren in institutions for juvenile de-
linqucnts.
Each Of th"sr children represents
either a potential addition 10 the pro.
ductive capacity and the enlightened
citizenship Of the nation, or, If allowed
TO suffer from neglect, a potential ad.
d'tion to the destructive forces OF tho
community. The ranks Of criminals
aud other enemies Of society are re-.
cruit"d in an altogether undu" o
Non from children bcrcft Of their nat.
ural homes an4Alcft without sufficient
care.
The interests Of the nation are in.
vOlvcd In Ia" welfare Of this army OF
children no less than in our great
material affairs.
The keynote Of the conference was
expressed IN these words.
"HOmc !if" IL the highest and finest
product Of civilization. Children should
not De deprived Of. it except for urgent
end comu"lling reasons"
Surely poverty alone should not dis.
rupt the home. Parents Of good char.
actcr suffering from temporary mis-.
flvt,,p. aud ,lar. al ---.t
ors fairly well able TO work, but de.
prircd Of the support Of The normal
brcadwinnrr, should be given such aid
as may b" necessary to enable them
30 maintain suitable" homes for the
rearing OF their children. The wild
owed or deserted mother, II a good
woman. willing TO work and TO do her
best should ordinarily be helped In
such fashion AZ Will enable her to
bring up her children herself In their
natural home.
Conclusions Of Conference.
transmit herewith for your infor.
nation a copy OF the conclusions
reached by the conference, Of which
the following Is a brief summary:
]. Home Care.-Children Of worthy
parents or deserving mother should,
as a rule, be kept with their parents
al home.
2. Pr"vcnt.Y" Work,-The EFFORT
should be made to eradicate causes
OF dependency. such as disease and ac.
'ident, II to substitute compensation
and Insurance for relief.
3. Home Finding and
neglected children, II normal, should
be cared for In families, when prac.
tiCablc.
4. Cottage System. - Institutions
should be on the cottage plan with
small units. as far as possible.
b. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS caring
for dependent children should be I'm.
co%rporated, IN approval Of a suitable
state board.
u. state lnspectiOn.--Thc state
should Inspect the work OF all agen.
cies which care for dependent chill.
dren.
7. Inspection OF Educational Work.
Educational work OF institutions and
agencies caring for dependent children
should be supervised by state educa-
tional authorities.
8. Facts and Rccords.-Complete
histories OF dependent children and
their parents, based upon personal In.
vcstigation and supervision, should be
recorded for guidance of child caring
agenciea