The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-05-18
VICTORIES OF DENVER FIGHT.
Judge Lindsay Tells of Fight to Save
Boys.

cents, but OF flesh and blood. When 1
first visited the Industrial School at
Golden. found armed guards in the
reformatory buildings and some of the
boys shackled with ball and chain on
the grounds. / found the iron boot in
use, the boys being logged in the
presence OF their fellows. and many
of the usual prison brutalities prac-
ticed on the miserable and rebellious
children. Today there are no armed
guards, no chains. no prison re-
straints. Most Of the boys come alone
To the school, stay there Of their own
will, receive visits from their parents,
accompany them to the railroad sta
tion unmatched, and return them
selves to their duties; they learn USE
full trades and receive the semi-mili-
tary training of good boarding
school with drill and military band
of their own, and officers promoted
for good behavior. The whole school,
on recent gala day in Denver,
marched in parade and enjoyed the
freedom Of the city; and every last
boy Of the four hundred at the days
end was back in his dormitory. They
are happy; they are learning to be
honest, healthy, useful citizens, in
stead of brutalized and rebellious
criminals
When / went on the county bench,
the dive-keepers, gamblers, and sa-
loon men who debauch boys and girls
were not only protected by the police
and other officials. but by the techni-
oalities of the law. 1t was impossible
to convict the saloon man or the gam
bier unless we could prove the serv-
ing of Liquor" to young people or
their participation in the gambling
game; and this was always difficult.
Now we have "contributory delin-
quency" laws that require the keeper
OF saloon or any disreputable re-
sort to forbid boys and girls frequent
ing 1t; and he can be punished if they
are so much as seen there. We have
obtained laws that will permit our
probation officers to arrest him; and
we can ourselves file complaint
against him If the district attorney re-
fuses to act. The result Is that no
man or woman in Denver-no, not
the head of the system and king of
the corporations himself-has politi-
cal pull" enough to save him from
the punishment of the law if he Of
fends against the poorest slum chud
In Denver. No one can know how
much that means 20 the community
unless ne IAN remember the horrible
traffic In young virtue that used tu
mahe our streets ana alleys in the
dive district the open roads to a ply
sical and moral hell.
We have obtained an effective reg
istration law that prevents most of the
ballot-box stuffing. We have obtain
ed code of probate laws that Is con-
ceded by lawyers to be one of the best
In America. We have obtained amend
ments to the child-labor laws, afford
ing children better protection and
adding a Jail penalty for violation in
stead Of light fine; amendments to
the compulsory school law, requiring
a complete school year for all child
rem, and providing for the relief of
needy children; laws forbidding the
prosecution Of children for crime and
requiring that they be treated. under
the chancery Jurisdiction and the
rules of equity. as wards Of the State
needing laid, help. assistance and en-
couragement," a provision in the city
charter and the statutes of the State
forbidding the placing of children un-
der Ia years of age in Jail and estab-
fishing a detention house school where
they may be cared for; a set Of laws
enforceable In both chancery and
criminal courts, making parents re-
sponsible for neglecting their children
or setting them a bad example; a law
for the special care Of dependent chill
dren, providing for the inspection Of
all homes and institutions, public or
private for the care of dependent chill
dren. providing for the inspection Of
all homes and institutions, public or
private for the care Of dependent chill
dren; a law requiring parents, who
are able to pay, to support their chill
dren In State institutions; a law guar
anteeing orphan children at least ST.
600 from the estate Of the parents be-
fore creditors are paid; a law giving
the judge the right to place orphan
children with persons protesting the
same religion as the PARENTS q law
forbidding any court to take a child
away from a Darent until tho norapt,S