Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-01
WHAT ARE WE GETTING BY IT?


Because Joe Shelly, - years Of age.
refuses to contribute TO the support OF
his wife and to provide funds for the
burial of a little child who died soon
after birth week ago today. j. F.
KIingaman. overseer of the poor mas
made ARRANGEMENTS for the care of the
mother and the burial Of the baby. A
nurse Sc now caring for Mrs. Shelly.
Shelly has been married for some
time and made his home on the west
side He was intoxicated at the time
his wife gave birth to the child and
did not return home. where his wife
was lying in a serious condition. The
body OF the child was taken to an I'M
dertaker and forgotten by the perverted
father.
Shelly was not found until Wednes-
day night. He was arrested 4ester-
day morning Judge E. P Caldwell sem
fenced him to ten days hard labor on
the streets-Waterloo Courier.
The unutterable horror and pathos
of the above story will not be lost on
those who read it. There will be no
lack of fearful sympathy with the wife
and mother and condemnation OF he
man so utterly lost to ali sense Of love,
duty and shame.
But how many Of US will note the
farcical futility Of the remedy applied
TO the conditions in this case? The
unfortunate woman is given in tenn
porarv charge OF the poormaster and
the man is under ten days work sem
tence on the streets It isn't remedy
but the easiest way Of getting rid OF
both Of them.
What gains are We making via the
police courts and the poornasters" We
get the woman and the man of our
minds by those routes. but what ad-
vance are we making toward lessening
the depravity and poverty that flourish
and grow in the atmosphere Of the
liauor traffic under the sunshine OF
popular approval Of the legalized sa-
loom Joe Shelly is only =. Calculate
the number of ten-day sentences Joe
will probably serve before he drops
from some hospital into some conven-
sent rorgue.
This is an extreme case but not so
uncommon as appears on the face OF
it. If the wife could have earned or
borrowed or begged enough to bury her
bahy. the facts and circumstances
would not have reached beyond the
narrow neighborhood of the immediate
acouaintances of the family 1t be-
came a newspaper item because she
was helpless.
It is only on extraordinary occasions
that the sorrow and suffering OF the
wives Of men, rich and poor degraded
by drink, get into public print.
II Is worth the common citizens
thought and deep consideration. What
is the system of petty fines doing for
the men upon whom they are imposed
and their dependents? How will Joe
Shelly be aided or even punished by
ten days on the chain gang? And in
all candor and sincerity, doesn't the
mulct tax that the city of Waterloo
collects from its saloons represent
the cost of-and perhaps the reason for
"a considerable number of baby funer-
als. the wages of nurses who were never
hired or paid, Of strengthening food
and hired help which COLLABORATING
women never had? Isn't it all in the
mulct taxi
wa*ex1oo's "liberal' vote was strong
in its latest election. Without any
manner Of doubt Joe shelley's sover-
ss<csy of the ballot counted in that
majority. Joe is an advanced liberal
~ the extreme liberal type.