The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-11-08
THE CITIZENS LEAGUE

Editor lntelligencer:
cannot refuse your request to
write something In favor of the organ
ization OF league OF citizens to Co
operate with the city and county
legal authorities in the enforcement of
law and order. although quite busy
and therefore unable to go carefully
into details at this time.
/ see SO clearly the wonderful work
that can be accomplished that l must
at least point out q few things that
can be done through such an organi-
zatioD II managed wisely and In real
earnest.
Ii you will thini for a moment, you
will agree that law as now adj
ministercd is but crude instrument
of doubtful efficiency In the protection
of society. Cities are prohibited from
infiicting in excess of q 500 fine or
80 days imprisonment in each case
and every offender has his choice he
tween the fine and Imprisonment. This
Is the only furnishing weapon Ander-
son has today. the only rod the city
can use TO correct the wayward and in
corrigible.
Then we know that punishment is
not always effective. That some child
rem are not kept in the right way no
matter how severely you lay on the
rod This is true of offenders against
our laws ind yet under the present
system those of us who are fighting
hard to remember that offenders
against the law are human beings as
well as law-breakers. that they are all
| somebody's sons and somebody's child
rem, find that we have no adequate
way to give them another chance"
to try our kindness, probation and
other methods dictated by our con-
sciences and religious teachings?
We need volunteer probation Off
GERS. We need the man who will come
forward and take the responsibility
of looking after a human being who
processes repentance. The big bust
ness man, the banker. the merchant,
the lawyer, who will accept the super
vising care of a boy who may now be
brought back into the right path but
IL left alone, If turned loose to go
hack to his old environment, will in
the years to come probably cost you
time, money and perhaps the destruc-
tion of your boy an dmine. through
his operations as "blind tiger" and
a professional law-breaker."
| Did Myers start as blind tiger?
What was he as a boy? Who helped
to "straighten him out?" What COM
munity did its duty by him or failed
to do its duty?
Mr. Cotton Mill President, Mr..
Banker, Mr.. Merchant, Mr.. Profess
sione1 Man Ito use the excellent figure
of personification so effectively util-
ized by The Intelligencer) what do
you know or did you know about your
city criminal court before this cru
sade began?
Do you know that boys in their
teens are brought there practically
every week and that your thoughtful,
able and Christian Recorder and your
imperfect but willing city attorney
ere srnnsns In the shadnwa for ways
and means to save them! What are
we to do with them? "Give them hell
as one thoughtless citizen suggested.
Experience teaches that with boys at
leae:, and frequently with men, the
hell OF convict stripes usually results
| in q worse boy and more trouble
through him for the community, for
you and me, for your children and
mine. Prevention is now the dominant
effort OF medical science and 1t is the
best weapon in this community to
keep your city "clean" and to minim-
ize the temptations for your sons and
daughters.
who were Myers most profitable
patrons? Boys or young men who by