New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-20

-O-DAY one human. heartening fact
stands out strongly amid all the
Il bysteria and hasty judgment, the
earnest questioning and CHASTITY revela-
tions Of the vice crusade which is sweep
ing the country 1t is fact when was
not generally known ten years ago. "heh
the Bedford Reformatory for women
was beginning the work which has proved
il once and for all. Prostitutes can IN
very large proportion of cases De maze
into self supporting. self respecting
women. can be made good women.
Ten years ago, of course, just as TWO
thousand years ago, such women did
sometimes reform under unusual circum-
stances, from great motives OF faith' or
love. or both. Certain institutions when
could bring to bear the powerful lnlu-
ences OF strict religious discipline and
reawakening of childish memories were
able TO turn a small number of them 10
"a better life" But il took Bedford TO
show that. in spite of all the handlcaps
which hamper the work of large state
institution, women of the street who are
not mentally defective can be saved in
about half the cases-in far more than
that. according to some of the best III
formed students of the problem
IL is strange that at the very time when
its reputation has been firmly established
after a long drawn struggle. Bedford
should be facing a crisis in its career
The state Of New York has reason TO De
proud of it; it has encouraged men ana
women all over the country VINO Were
wrestling with the same baffling prop
lens. eminent European visitors go TO see
II as one Of Americas real contributions
TO the world Of social experiment Yet
ut this very time IT is more hampered in
its work than ever before, and cannot
even give shelter to all the women VINO
n ed its influence. so. at least. say those
who have made it what it IS.
WHAT PRESIDENT WOOD SAYS.
1T is not my place to sing the praises
Of Bedford" said James Wood, the presi-
dent OF the board Of managers, the other
6av THE institution speaks for itsen'
But the bare facts of the situation there
are such as demand the attention OF all
good citizens.
.'First. we have to ask the magistrates
IN New York City TO cease sending us
women until we are able TO make room
for them. This alone is a terrible thing.
Magistrate Henry w. Herbert said that III
the last two weeks Of his session IN the
womens night court there was not
night when he did not have case tha'
seemed to him especially suited for Bed
ford. few of these girls could be sent
10 other institutions Of a similar charac-
ter but most of them could not-and
neither a workhouse sentence, such as
most Of them received, nor discharge
is reform measure.
There are at this moment several
young women being held in jail here in
the city. by order Of the magistrates,
awaiting the first opportunity to enter
Bedford Three babies are with them.
one Of these girls is the daughter of a
New England clergyman She has twice
run away from home, and If there is a
chance for her i'm the world it is not at
her home. but at Bedford. However, it
will not give her a heartening introduc-
ton to the place to keep her for four
weeks in fail. as has been done perforce
in the cases of one or two Of the young
women who are now on the institutions
waiting list.
quite as shocking. to my mind, as this
downright waste Of human souls here in
New York is the pitiful waste of oppor-
tunity which now prevails at Bedford
and must prevail until the institution is
properly equipped. A large measure Of the