The San Francisco call., 1895-12-20
DR.. FRENCH AND FATHER FERGUSON.
The Physician Replies to the Priest Regard
ing the Magdalen Asylum.

The Physician Replies to the Priest Regard
ing the Magdalen Asylum.
DR.. H. c. French makes the following
reply to Rev. Father Ferguson, who took
exception to certain remarks made by the
former in regard to the Magdalen Asylum
at recent meeting in Metropolitan Hall:
To the Editor OF the San Francisco CdlE-SIR:
In Wednesdays CALL Priest Ferguson accuses
the writer OF The helnous crimes of being out
OF business and OF trying TO down Catholics"
The classic language in which he clothes his
last charge does not make its meaning clear to
the mind OF one who respects as profoundly
the personal and religious rights OF a Catholic
as those of non-Catholic. The key to the true
animus OF this platform thrust may be found
in his allusion to the Magdalen Asylum. A
few weeks ago your CORES spondent, being re-
quested 10 present the claims of the Home for
Girls, situated at % Hill street. at public
meeting held at Metropolitan Temple, said
that the Magdalen Asylum did not claim 10 be
a reformatory institution in the sense in which
the home on Hill street was.
The fact was emphasized that the object OF
the home was the finding and rescuing OF girls
before they had utterly fallen, saving them, if
possible, upon the very brink of social ruin
end restoring them TO society through its social
and religious influences. Alusion was then
made to the fact that the Magdelen Asylum
had received State aid of SIS per capita for
commitments to It's care. amounting in all to
an average OF more than eight hundred 5000
suits to the benetciaries of the two institutions
in morals attained and spoke of the higher
claims OF the home upon the benefcence of the
pubic on account of its preventive scope of
action, and this has been characterized as an
''effort to down Catholics"
Subsequent investigation shows by the rec
ords that this appropriation of public funds
has been in vogue for more than twenty years.
After the establishment OF the Whittier School
the amount was slightly reduced for awhile,
but the average sum has not been materially
changed, and the people of all religious faiths
have been taxed since its foundation to the
amount OF about $250,000. In none of the
records can we find evidence of any such SUBJ
sidy in favor OF the Salvation Army Rescue
Home at Beulah, which shows q sound con-
version OF 90 per cent of its magdalens to re-
ligion; to pure lite and to honorable citizen
ship the reformation OF another 20 per cent;
and of the incorrigibles, some have an awak-
ened conscience which leads them to utter the
wish that they had never had their sinful
lives contras ted with the heavenly atmosphere
of the home.
While che Whittier and Industrial schools
were required by law TO produce periodical
and complete reports upon the result of these
public investments upon the public morals no
such requirement seems to have been laid upon
the Magdalen Asylum. In the light of these
facts in relation to our State and City govern
ment does not this puerile cry about 'sdown-
ing Catholics" sink into insignifcance in the
public mind when compared with the greater
question as to how we may lift up fallen women
to an Almighty Savior?
HAYES c. FRENCH MD.