Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1912-01-30
ANNUAL REPORT Of PRESIDENT
FOWLER Of THE Y. N. c. A.
riends:

friends:
\ year has passed since
ny last report in January. 1871 and
il is now only memory. Yes, Il
memory. but with a record of
achievement. A year ago our or
ganiZation was incomplete, our build
Irg unfinished. our finances unset
tied. our association machinery in
process of adjustment. our patience
exceedingly tried. But our faith was
,:rge because welded to the Infinite,
our hope was unbounded because
anchored 10 the Sure and Steadfast,
our love for our fellowman, ever
the handspring Of Y. VI. c. A. work,
was based on a divine injunction.
How could we hesitate. or ques-
ton. as To the growth. or certainty
OF success. of this institution in 4
field. 50 clear, so rich, so Inviting,
provided We exercised an average de-
gree Of sound sense in formulating
and carrying out our plans in a
genuine Christian spirit?
While we have not by any means
net our hopes and expectations, dur
ing 1911, we have made substantial
progress. certainly enough 10 inspire
To- renewed efforts for the coming
year
Present Public Policies Produce
Criminals.
II is a startling fact. confirmed by
official statistics. that twothirdS Of
all the inmates in the penal institu-
tons OF the United States are under
twenty-one years Of age; and no less
startling is the fact that more than
ninety per cent of the cases in the
juvenile courts are normal children,
the victims of circumstances and
training. These facts, and such as
these. appeal with tremendous force
not alone to parents but To all
thoughtful. public spirited citizens,
be they men or women. These boys
may not be your boys or my boys.
but they are somebody's boys and soon
viii be men.
Even the small taxpayer must re-
alize that here is an enormous eX-
perditure a heavy burden, which
might better be and ought to be, in
large measure, diverted TO other pub
lie needs. II a fraction of the vast
sums now expended for prisons and
jails could be used for institutional
and settlement work. free from pol
tics or sectarian bias, we should
soon realize that prevention is bet
ter and more economical than cure.
Only the careless and unthinking
citizen can fail to realize that the
Young men of today are the voters
of tomorrow. the lawmakers and
4
the men in whose hands we as cit
izers. business and professional men.
ranchers and public officials, must
leave our unfinished work and the
local and national problems of the
future You know and l know that
character is the basis, the founda-
ton Of good citizenship and the \.
NJ c A goes to the very core of
ore of our great national problems
when il helps to build up n young
Christian manhood which shall be
equal to the discharge Of every duty.
public and private. and actuated only
by love of country. love of fellow
,len and love of God. And this is
the sole object of this organization.
A Visit TO a State Reformatory.
Some years ago il was my priv
ilege to visit one OF the model re-
formatories Of this country of which
an old time friend was Chaplain.
That state has learned, by long
experience. the valuable lesson which
the new State Of Arizona has yet to
learn, that idle convicts spell bur-
densome and unnecessary taxes. in
crease of crime. Generalization of
the individual prisoner-physically
mentally and morally-and affords
daily and hourly opportunity. by close
constant and unrestricted association
with the hardened crook. murderer
and all round villain, for the educa-
ton in sin and crime, and further
degradation of the youth, or young
man, guilty and sentenced for per-
haps his first or second offense.
In his case it may have been, IN
4 way. accidental; or under the I'm