The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-23
REFORMING The uyERTUnFo.
Women Have Done and Are Doing
Their Duty by These Unfortunates.


To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
May / be permitted to make a few re-
marks on the subject touched upon yester-
day by your correspondent, o. w. Sears
namely the treatment and reform of the
Overturfs? His communication serves as
a sample of much that is said and writ
ten about the attitude of the community,
and especially of other women, to the fallen
sisterhood. He is confident that something
ought to be done for such girls as the
one who has lately figured so prominently
in court, and he also believes that women
must do it. Why? Because good men
who might otherwise come to her aid are
so beset by business and other cares SO
in dread of the average womans tongue
and possible misconstruction of their acts
that they cannot aid in the work. Good
women do nothing because they are afraid
of each other and because they are engaged
in other and more agreeable charities. 1t
is the old and stock sneer at all philan-
thropic and religious effort that does not
look in the direction of this most giaring
evil. 1t is sneer founded on ignorance
and an assumption of conditions that do
not exist The evil in question is not ig-
nored either by good women or good men,
but is problem receiving constant atten,
ton. OF what else are the homes ana
refugees in every large town and city
result? OF what else come the white rib
moral integrity of youth by teaching the
beauty of purity? Out of what else grows
the increasing number of women who con-
secrate their lives to individual work
among the degraded-the Protestant and
Catholic sisterhoods, part of whose self
assumed task 1t is to lift the fallen wher-
ever found? 1t is women who build up
these homes, women who. organize the So
eia purity sms ana even aae np thep
abode there that they may be near those
who need their aid; women who insist on
f1f, tpnp In |nr
that Young girls may be rescued from
shame and older offenders have a kindly
done anywhere for the reformation of
fallen women is being done by women. It
Is not to reach ana to hold
conditions seem most favorable If more
good men Who are afraid OF women's
tongues will point out the methods. they
will no doubt be carefully considered. 1t
is a popularity of the persons who criti-
else women for their alleged Indifference
to the degraded of their sex that they do
Sears goes so far as to say that good
women should approach an Overturf from
side, or as an admittedly venial offender.
whatever that may mean His idea lacks
notion that a treatment which seems to
make little of the offenSe these women
have committed is h one likely to Lessen the
en- should take the erring ones into their
homes. Has it occurred to him that
woman with young sons and daughters
takes risks she cannot afford by making
one of whose genuine and lasting repent
ance she is not sure a member of her
household? Or has he ever heard of the
unhappy experience of those who have
tried the experiment only to find the re-
suit in attempted blsckmail of the men
of the family by creatures not yet free
from guile? Or, on the other hand, mas
he never heard of the numerous instances
where women under favorable conditions
have given employment to women of the
class described and have treated and are
still treating them kindly? The charitable
work of the world is not all proclaimed
from the housetop done through formal
organization and man is competent to
speak of it who has not studied his sub
ject.
May / be permitted to add further, that
while pity must be extended to all who
sin, the sort Of sympathy which Mr.. Sears
kindly extends to Overturf and her
sociate is apt to be misplaced, not to say
maudlin. Is there anything whatever to
show that her faithfulness to him is any
thing but purely mercenary or his demand
for her constant presence at the Jail more
than part of plan to keep her in good
humor a witness in his behalf? The
fact that she is permitted to visit the Jail
so freely is nothing more nor less than q
scandal in the common eStima ton, but
possibly 1t is part a benevolent attempt
on the part of some one TO approach the
young woman on her human side as Mr..
Sears recommends. NJ. B. F.
Indianapolis. Jan. 81.