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Show APPEAL IDE FDR TIE NEEDY CHILDREN OETRECITY To The Standard: Some weeks ago I made the announcement that I wanted want-ed tho names of persons who would consider giving a home to a child. This was widely published In nowB papors, and letters were received by me from different parts of Utah. ' That announcement had a meaning which I think was not well grasped and understood by many people. About the same time I caused to be published the suggestion, and request that men and women hunt up and give away clothing that they would not hereafter really nood give to the other men and women who had not enough clothing for winter' because of having to spend all of their earnings earn-ings Tor the use of their children. Now, I want to direct the attention of the public to the real meaning of my statements abovo mentioned, show the way each statement relates to the other, and try to bring about corrective correc-tive and curative action. The need of and demand for homes for children como moBtly from the dire, abject, distressing, ruinous poverty pov-erty holding in its grip some families, famil-ies, including email children, in Ogden Og-den City. This allegation will doubtless doubt-less surprise some, and I hope It will sink deep Into the minds of all. I may not stop to say that much has been done, especially at Christmas time, to remove said condition of actual di& tress. All are aware of this act The greater Tact, the terrible thing is that the poverty, with its consequent conse-quent want, distress, exists In our midst today. Now, the big point, the thing I wish to emphasize, is that in Ogden City the proportion of wealth to poverty the amount of acual wealth on the one hand, compared to tho actual poverty in the other hand Is such that all distress and bad effects upon children caused by lack of means for decent living could bo banished, entirely re- rauveu, any uay, wimout requiring any person to suffer even an inconvenience. inconveni-ence. Come to think about it seriously, serious-ly, comprehensively, Is not that statement state-ment startling? Put it this way: Thcro are two dozen persons in Ogden City who could furnish the money and drive poverty out of Ogden for the balance of this wintor, save a hundred or more children from conditions physically, mentally and spiritually dograding, without a realization of less, without Inconvenience, without missing the money. Will some one of these two dozen persons, or two or more of them, start a movement for the accomplishment of this wonderful result? I know people can, and will point to what has been done; to what Individuals, societies and organizations havo done; to the county and Its extensive assistance assist-ance to the poor. Let those who think these aids approach sufficiently go to tho places called homes to which I can direct them, whero they can note tho causes that demand new homes for children. Are you people willing to have the juvenile Judge and probation officers everlastingly facing the awful question, whether children must bo taken from the parents In order to save them? The purpose and contemplation of law is that taxation will supply the counties with means to provide for mothers so that they may remain with her children in decent dec-ent homoB, and care for the little ones. In actual practice, it is tho hope of the county commissioners to so aid the mother that she can, by exerting herself to the utmost at home and out at work, keep herself and chidren alive. Taxation doos not provide money enough. The people who have accumulated ac-cumulated over-sufficient must, from their surplus, supply tho crying needs In the community that has treated them so well. (Signed) VOLNEY C. GUNNELL. |