Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-06-19
WE WILL NOT LET HER.

NENT an editorial in Monday g
Capital Journal, we desire to call
attention to a little story in the
m Saturday Evening Post Of June
Il, entitled "The Woman Who
Tried to Be Good" It is a powerfully
written story because it is told without
a single attempt at establishment It
simply presents the cold, hard cruel
facts, so undeniably true, so cruelty,
damnably true Tt should be read by
every would-be reformer, by every per.
son who thinks the social disease can
he cured by law, that reformation is
possible for the woman who has trav.
eled the primrose path to where it led
within the gates Reformation is not
possible, not because the person would
not gladly turn back in many cases, but
because we will not permit them to
turn back. By all means read the story
if you can get hold of it, for it cannot
be told one-half so convincingly in the
re-telling but here is the idea of it in
brief
A woman in and Of the town, who
had gone the length of running a house
with half dozen girls, saves money
enough that she can purchase home,
and provide for herself She does this
in the same town where she had carried
on her business, and she behaves her.
self. The neighbors all objected to her
purchasing the little house. They did
not want her near them. The women
pulled their skirts aside as she passed
them. The men did not see her At
church, which she ventured to attend,
the ushers seated her well in the rear
of the church. On her second visit to
the church, she was seated near a wo.
man. The latter gave her a stare,
gathered her skirts around her and
moved to another part of the church.
She was not to be permitted to worship
God, even in company with others Of
the town. The minister visited her
twice, and she, to protect him, left her
door open, and seated him Just within
IL, whore he could be seen. Then one
night young married woman, her
nearest neighbor, comes TO her at mid.
night. Her husband is away, her little
girl she fears, is dying with the Group.
The phone is out OF commission and
she cannot reach a doctor The scarlet
woman goes TO her house, takes steps to
relieve the little one-saves her life.
Her husband Is home next day. He be.
rats his wife for calling such woman
into the house. She must, under no cir.
cumstances speak TO her, Soon after
they pass the house, the woman who
wanted to be good was on the porch.
The husband did not see her, the wife,
grateful but afraid, turned her head
away.
The next day there was moving
van at the scarlet woman q house. Her
furniture was taken back to tho house
she had closed. The neighborhood was
pleased. They glcefully told one an.
other; "I knew she wouldn't stickl"
al told you she would go back, they all
dol"
There is the substance Of the story.
There is tho condition this woman
faced. There is tho condition every
woman Of this class must face, II she
attempts to reform, II she wants to be
good. She can't do II, for we won I
lot her. What good can bo accomplish.
cd by detectives and troops closing her
house, running her out Of her home, the
only kind Of home she has, or that
she will be permitted to have What
good are laws that simply prescribe
sho shall not live openly within certain
prescribed districts and which compel
her 10 hide and dissemble IL she would
live olsewherei Why forbid her TO re.
side within district apart, and at the
NamO UmO rNfuga hpr nvan 40 shn N.