Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-17
LADIES SEE ONLY
Geneva BEAUTIES
Rock Island Attorney Replies
to Report of Moline Wo-
mans Club Committee.
FAILS TO GET AT THE FACTS
While Admitting Prscticed Crueities'
Neglects to Give Names OF
Victims.

Rock Island, Ill, April Is. 1911
Editor The Argus: 1 have seen the
report Of the committee sent by the
Moline Woman's club to Geneva TO in
vestigate conditions there. and l de
sire TO reply to same. l had asked
Mrs Huntoon, whom 1 understood
headed this committee, 10 furnish me
with a copy of this report when il was
made public, but this was not done.
I received a copy through the kindness
of one Of the newspapers in Rock Is
land.
am not surprised al the tone OF the
report. l have the fullest confidence
in the sincerity of purpose of the lad
les composing the committee. l am
certain that they went to Geneva with
an honest determination 10 make q
full and impartial investigation of con
ditions there, to observe all that they
possibly could, and TO report candidly
upon what they had seen and heard
No doubt this committee is absolutely
correct as TO conditions as they exist
at Geneya-nOw.
! But f. ccurs TO me that very posi-
/ bly, tn committee did not see very
much Of conditions as they were be
fore this investigation was started
The ladies saw growing plants" in all
OF the cottages. They also saw 'pi-
amos" in some of them. But they did
not see the straight chairs" for they
had been destroyed some days before
the committee reached Geneva. They
very likely did not see the rawhide
whip being welded by Mrs. Amigh,
nor the rubber slipper" in active OPP
Grafton.
II must also be remembered that
three weeks had elapsed between the
Visit OF Mr.. OConnor and Mr.. Virden,
representing the state board of admin
istration, TO Rock Island to investt-
: gate this matter. and the time that the
ladies were very kindly granted per
mission by Governor Deneen to go TO
Geneva and investigate for them
selves. In that interim, as / have said.
the straight chairs" were destroyed.
and the conn &c reports that the
strong rooms had been abolished.
How much othe General cleaning up
WAS INDUCED in preparatory to the
ladies' visit can only be inferred from
these two circumstances. Given prec-
ucaIly three weeks TO "set the house
| IN order" Il Is not difficult TO under
stand why the committee found every.
thing so beautiful and pleasant at &C.
neva, for much can be accomplished
IN three weeks.
WANTS VICTIMS NAMES.
The report states I'VE are satisfied
that the girls have been cruelty treat
ed IN extreme cases" That Is abso-
luteiy all that is said upon this sub
Ject, yet I had understood that the
principal object OF this committee 3
VISIT to Geneva was to Investigate
cruelty charges that had been made,
and In their report It is touched upon,
admitted, and dismissed IN a single
brief sentence. It is indeed to be re-
GREETED that '-.7 committee did not
treat this phaso Of the matter more
fully. and specify the nature Of the
cruelty to which the report
so briefly refers. give the names
OF the victims, expose those
who perpetrAted that cruelty or who
were responsible for it, and make
some recommendation concerning the
dismissal from the institution of those
officers or employees who had been
guilty of inhicting II. At the last
meeting of the Moline Woman's club
a report was read endorsing the res
olutions passed by the Tri-City FEEDER
alton of Labor relative to this Geneva
matter. In those resolutions the dis
charge of all who were responsible
for cruelties existing at Geneva was
demanded IN no uncertain terms. Yet
the committee of ladies, while admit
ting that cruelty has existed at Ge-
neva, makes no recommendation what
ever for the discharge OF anyone.
Still further the committee reports
that there are many growing plants
in all of them referring 10 the cot
tages) which should have a reEn:ne
influence / feel that the public
would have been much more inter
ested in being informed fully as to
the cruelty which the committee ad-
mits has existed. than IN learning of
the existence of growing plants IN all
of the cottages Possibly these grow
ing plants" should have a refining in
fluence, yet personally l do not be
lieve that showing q geranium 10 a
girl after she had been put in the
straight chair. shut up in the