The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-04-02
es>~eess~s s~s
PUBLIC OPINION
{ 1890 >e>~e..~es
From a Mothers Viewpoint.

and sensibls contributions appearing
in the press from prominent residents
showing the needs Of the city In ad
yocacy Of safe and sane buildings
in which the little children OF the
resfden families of Keokuk may
| gather, without dread Or danger, to
prepare themselves to become intel
ligent and useful citizens when they
| municipal cloak shall fall upon them
from the shoulders of worthy fathers.
The men OF Keokuk have always met
the test of good citizens when 1t came
and have nobly stood for home ana
! the welfare and advancement OF the
younger generation. II possibly they
have errer some time, with malice
toward none and charity for all" we
are constrained to draw the Yali OF
charity over the act, believe 1t was
an error of the head and not OF the
heart, and just as soon as the chance
presented itself. they would be anS-
ious to correct that error by reversing
their former action We cannot be-
lieve that a man OF true keoSuK
spirit and pride could find 1t In his
heart OF hearts and sensitive con-
science to deliberately withhold from
his own and his neighbours children
that protection ind safety which safe
and sanitary school buildings would
afford.
Some may possibly declare that
"our school buildings are COCA
enough" That is thoughtlsss asser-
ton coming from the head and has
no connection with the heart. Really.
no school buildings are good enough.
except those that are planned with
the greatest skill and built or repair
ed without the remotest thought gov
erned by a trend toward false econ
omy. There can be no economy that
will interfere to reduce the cost on
school buildings at the frightful ex'
pense of placing the life and limbs OF
our innocent little children In jeo-
pardy.
What is your child's life worth?
Such a question is An impertnence
that would stab the heart of any par
emit. What profit is it to man to
win the whole world and lose his own
soul" And what pleasure would It
be to man to save few paltry dol
lars in school house taxes and lose
his own child in a school house holo
caust? This is no trifing matter,
but as serious as the sad-faced con-
sultation OF physicians about the bed
side of a patient whose condition Is
minds, hearts and consciences OF
every voter in Keokuk. II you have
no childra remember that you were
little child once, and think how
your devoted mother loved you and
how anxious and eager she was Tor
your safety and to what lengths she
would go for your protection from
danger. There are other mothers IN
this community today who have little
children as dear to them as you were
to your own dear mother. Then IN
fond memory of the dear mothsr, anu
in honest sympathy with the mothers
OF today, look this school question
souarely and humanely il the face
and act in accordance with the die
tates of a conscience warmed by the
fires Of great big, broad-minded,
tender humanity and a spirit Of pro-
gress such as your home city demands
and deserves. Let there be unity OF
thought and unity OF action ca this
important municipal question. Lee
mothers and fathers and their chill
dren. and husbands and wives ana
single men and women join hands in
"all around the rosey" fashion and
skip earnestly to the music Of save
the children. and all will be well.
This is no time for seifishness and
bickerings; no time for arguments.
merely for arguments sake; no time
for clannish differences; no time for
ward feuds, but a time for unity and
harmonious action among all classes
and all sections OF the city. Think a
little. Are we not all OF one family?
Are we not all Keokukians? Is there
a man or woman in the city who en-
lows seeing the school children IN any
portion Of the city kept in psrfl-in
imminent danger? Suppose we change
the proposition coon to be presented
to the voters of the city and make II
read this way:
Some OF the school houses In the
city are unsanitary and unsafe from
| other causes, basides being fire traps
! imperiling the lives OF the children
attending them, but we the voters OF
Keokuk oppose any changes whatever.
| On the grounds OF municipal economy.
and declare that the children are safe
enough in the buildings and ought to
| have sense enough to get out IN case
Of fire, and to refuse to take In any
of the germs moving about the build
ings."
II the question should be put in
that form, how many voters OF the
city do you think would have the
hardihood to go to the polls and vote
yes" on such proposition? Yet In
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