The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-11-15

Ing COllPduy. Ouly IWO-S0he oet"Ap'
received in payment of mail accounts.
Shall curfew Ring?
A large number of the ladies OF the
CITY have interested themselves in the
passage of curfew law.
It would seem that this is subject
particularly within their province If
any subject of municipal government
is. It touches very nearly on the
home and is question of the manage
ment of children which is supposed to
be the God given province of women.
These ladies are therefore entitled to
a most respectful hearing. They are
entirely within their rights, they have
undoubtedly given more thought to
the subject than have the men OF the
community and they are certainly in
better position to know what is good
for the children. Further; they are
unselfish in their judgment on this
particular question at least.
Some cities have been "all torn
up over the curfew question. We
hope Denison will not be. 1t is large
ly question of ways and means and
should involve no bitterness and no
questioning of motives.
A petition has been circulated and
it has been largely signed.
Such petition should have weight,
and it would have were it not for the
unfortunate disposition of men to fol-
low the path of least resistance, sign
any paper brought before them and
then quietly use their influence
against that for which they have
petitioned. This ought not be.
The question is important. II it will
help to make this a better commun-
ity, if it will help to prevent some OF
the wreckage which all have seen who
have lived for any time in this or any
like community; it is a very import
ant thing. We believe the community
can well afford to study the question
seriously. We believe the propo
ganda should direct it's efforts to,
wards educating the people. We be
lieve those favoring and those oppos
ed should present more than thei
wishes or their prejudices; the!
should present the facts and figures.
The curfew law is not new thing
1t has been tried in scores of commun
tiles. The results of these trials are
easy to obtain and those interested
should secure this information, gath
cred from the cities that have triet
it, and that are trying it and should
present the facts to the people jus
as they find them.
The worst thing that could harper
to curfew law in Denison would be
to have it forced through an unwill
ing council with it's enforcement left
in the hands of those opposed to it
Under such circumstances it would al
once become q dead letter and il
would then be pointed at as failure
and mistake. No sumptuary legis
lation is effective unless backed by
public opinion. Unless the officers
are heartily in accord with it and un
less they are made to feel that the
people are back of them in its en-
forcement, it must fail. The first
rather to build public sentiment than
to secure the passage of an ordin-
ance.
Personally we favor the passage Of
some legislation which will control
the children of the city where the
parents fail to do so. While the con-
dition in Denison may be no worse
than in other like towns, it is certain
ly bad enough. A lady reports that
when she and her husband returned
to their home after the theatre she
saw three little boys under ten years
of age, standing On the street corner,
smoking. There ought to be some
power in the law that would have
given the police force of Denison the
power to have sent those youngsters
packing months ago, before they
formed the habit of loafing and
smoking on the streets at ten
o'clock at night.
1t is not particularly the homes of
the poor that need this protection.
Parents are singularly blind to the i'm
projections of their own children, and
some of them are pathetically inefii-
cient in parental control. When
parent for any reason fails in his duty
it becomes the duty of the community.