Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-20
THE HOME PROTECTIVE LEAGUE.

column had been prepared for pub
LEGATION, and we cheerfully give it
space. Editor.
AS the leading editorial in the
Public Opinion of Feb. 13 utterly
misrepresents the women of the Home
Protective League of Decorah, we
think it right TO state the facts to the
public. The women who attended the
Douglass and Duffy trials as repre-
sentatives of the League, were there
to fulfill painful duty; that of Civ
ing moral support to the unfortunate
women and children who were COM
PEELED to go to court in order to bring
their assailants to justice. 1t would
be cowardly and unwomanly to let
them face the questioning alone before
an audience of men and boys. We are
now fully convinced that whenever
trials are held of cases in which the
vital interests of women and children
are directly concerned, especially cases
touching the sanctity and purity of
the home. women of high moral and
social standing ought to be present.
In this position we are sustained by
the expressed opinion of many good
men of our city. 1t is true that no
one should attend such trials from
morbid curiosity. whether women,
men, or boys and girls in their teens.
But in a country where Liberty is the
watchword of our boasted civiliza-
tion, it seems incredible that one who
occupies the place of a leader of
thought in the community, should ad-
vocate the holding of criminal trial s
behind closed doors. 1t is wholly
out of accord with republican institu-
tions and the spirit of democracy. But
we would ask why was this plea for
closed doors was never uttered until
this present term of court? Such trials
have been held in Decorah before,
and men and boys have crowded in to
hear them. Why was this protest not
made then? 1t is far worse for boys
or girls to hear these things at just
the age when character.f forming is at
its height, and passions whose power
they little realize they are developing,
than for mature women to hear them.
| AtSshe very beginning of these trials
the League women requested the au-
fhnrifinc fD nvo1nHn oil YninnrO
the courtroom, and their request was
courteously granted.
We wish to express our appreciation
of the manner in which these trials
were conducted. The statement that
the testimony was ''filthy. vile to the
extreme, racy and rancid to super
lative degree, must have been due to
misinformation or TO strange mis-
understanding of the language en-
ployed. There were no terms used, no
illusions made, that were not abso-
lutely necessary to bring out the evil
dence. From beginning to end the
cases were conducted through the most
trying situations with dignity and
delicacy, and the seriousness befitting
the grave nature of the cases. Such
trials are painful enough at best. and
we We're much relieved when the de-
fendant in the Duffy case plead guilty,
thus saving the necessity of going
through further details of that suit.
Why was it necessary for us to take
so active an interest in this matter?
Because lawless and vicious men made
life terror to the women and girls of
Decorah, and not until the mass
meeting was held and our officers and
natural protectors were called upon to
show why the laws were not upheld
and crime punished-then and not
till then-were two criminals placed
in our county Jail to await trial.
We have heard many a man say "If
my child had been thus assaulted l
would have shot the villain,' yet
only one woman in our large organ
ization even mentioned lynching. We
do not favor shooting or lynching
We are absolutely in favor of ad-
ministering Justice according to law
The statement has been made that we
! have asked the mayor to resign. The
statement is not true. nor has there
been any such intention.
The object of the Home Protective
League, as stated in the constitution,
/ is rs follows ITO promote the in
terests of the home. not only by
precept and example in the family,
but also by aiding to the extent of
our ability in securing adequate laws.
and officials who will properly ex-
ecute the laws, thereby creating a
better and safer environment for the
home " Men, as we'll as women,
may become members by signing the
constitution.
Press Committee of the Home Pro-
tective League.
--Teacher-"Now, Johnny, can you
tell me what algebra isy'
johnny white mule covered
with black stripes. teacher. / saw
one at the circus this summer.
| Heinz pickles, sweet sour anC