Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-24
THE MATRON MATTER
Utility of the Office in Various
Other Cities.
HOW DAVENPORT LAUDs IT.
Has Proven a God-Send, as
1t Will Here.
Different Chiefs of Police
Are Heard From.
HOW DAVENPORT LAuDs IT.

Are Heard From.
The best proof Of the utility of q
project is experience. When propo-
sition is under consideration it is best
to endeavor to understand it before
passing judgment. At all events
condemnation should surely be with
held until some conception is formed
40 to the merits of the case. The
Rock Island Union in its customary
obstinacy 10 arrsyed against the
appointment of matron in connec-
ton with the Rock Island police de-
partment, and it has gone so far as
to attempt to belittls The city in its
effort to establish the absence
OF the essential qualifications here
for the providing Of the Office. The
argument on the part Of the Union
from drst to last has demonstrated
its absolute misconception of the
duties, requirements and aims OF q
police matron. It is simply opposed
to the Office; that is all.
In order to ascertain the advant-
age the office of matron had proven
to other cities, The ARGUS recently
addressed letters Of inquiry to the
chiefs OF police of a few cities both
great and small within q radius of
few hundred miles. These were the
questions to which answers were in
vited:
Have you in connection with your
department q police matron?
II so. has the same proven advan.
tageous. and in what manner?
What Davenport Has Found.
OF the responses that have come
there is none that will be read with
the interest Of that relating to Dav-
export, not only because of the fact
that it pertains to neighboring city,
with which Rock Islanders are some
what familiar on general terms. and
city which is not SO very much
greater than Rock Island but what
there are things in common, but be-
cause the Union has been citing Day.
export in its efforts to argue that
Rock Island should not have q ma
tron. Here Is Chief Martens letter
relating to the operation OF the de-
partment Of matron in Davenport:
Davenport, July 22.-Editor of
The ARGUS: In reply to your ques-
tions relative to the police matron
and the work accomplished hero, 1
feel that justice cannot be done in q
short space. We have had in con-
nection with our police force . po-
lice matron since July 20, 1889. and
to say that we find it most helpful
and advantageous would but lilly
express it. The field Of the matrou
is . broad one and peculiar to itself,
and the amount Of good that can bs
accomplished and 10 being doue can.
not be recorded. All women, and
girls and boys under Is years of age,
are placed in her care when arrested
also lost and abandoned children.
This, however, is but a small part oil
the work. The matron who ia in.
terested in the work, who 10 labor.
ing for the good Of humanity, car
always find more to attend to than
she can do. and as o rule the work il
not understood nor appreciated in
that. respect. 1t is about on q pa,
with police duty. only more SO I'll
POSSIBILITY.
The prevention work alone tina,
has been done here would fill a vol
ume, say nothing Of the rescue work.
The full realization of it cannot be
conveyed by q newspaper article
There are many things the matron
does that cannot be explained and
never will be told because OF the ma.
ture Of the work. She is oft time,
called into homes and made conf.
dent Of in matters that are as sacred
as life itself. Few positions perhaps
afford such opportunities for the
powerful exercise OF woman's in.
iuence as does that of police matron.
The woman, it need scarcely be said,
must be one out Of many, however,
who is strong, wise and
sympathetic. who takes God II
her helper every day. She, in q
sense. is the door between two
worlds, by reason of her first touch
with the class which christian PEG.
pie most wish to reach. The matron
is brought in contact with those who
are starting on the down grade. who
are leaving the path of rectitude. and
consequently where there is q dispo-
sition, rs is the case with our matron,
to help the fallen, there is no end
to the work she may do. The ma
tron has full charge Of the house Of
detention; it is her duty to search all
female prisoners. and work the same
after sentence, and many other mat
tiers too numerous to mention.
During the year ending Feb. %.
the record Of the house of detention
here under the police matron's d.
rection showed cases cared for as
follows: Assault and battery. 5,
arrested on suspicion. 8; arson. 1;
beating board bill, 2; disturbing the
peace., 81; fugitive from justice. /;
homes found for, Is; immoral life. 2;
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