, 1864-01-28
HOUSES OF PROSTITUTION.
Their Abundance : in Chicago-The
Last Order Of the Police Commits
sioner-Its Evil Results

Not many year1 ago, a distinguished iQtist Of the
city OF New fork discussed quite e1aborately, In
one Of his decisIons, the subject Of prostitution
and arrived At the conclusion TINT the cr was In
separab1e fou and necessarily incident to. all well
regulated communities. While he admitted ita
immortality, and dep1orcd its effect upon society.
he characterized 1t az, In some sense, "social
necessity" and more than intimated that
the duty of good clhzens was
not to seek to abolish it altogether by the In
Fiction Of pains and penalties, but 10 fnterpose
such barriers by the enactment Of regulative pro
vielons AZ should make 1t legitimate calling and
under the protection Of the Law.
The present Board Of Police Commissioners, ut
the head Of which Is the Democratic Mayor Of the
city, seems to have been impressed with the excel
lenee Of Judge Dners reasoning, and arc also seek
Ing to establish the vocation here under the pro.
lection of the law.
There are certain old fashioned notions firmly
impressed npou the minds which compose every
vittuous community, and forming a part Of their
education and one OF them in that the practice Of
this vice IL an evil which should be repressed BY
the strong hand Of the law. They are led to this
conclusion not only from moral but physical con
alterations. They thereioreloo with suspicious
eye upon all movements looking to Its continuance
or tolerAtion.
It has been the custom In Chicago, ever stuce
u
houses Of prostitution proper subjects OF po1lce
regulation, snd In theory, at least to labor for
their suppression. They hare been liable to visl-
tation at any hour Of the daJ or night md were
therefore compelled to locate In etrects and aleys
removed from the more public thoroughfares. Tbs
evil II not eradicated, was Shorn Of ita more re-
pnlsiyc features, or wives aud daughters cou1d
walk the streets without being subjected to moral
contamination by the visible indications Of this
vice. These unceremonious visits by police oll-
tiona. More ihsn one inetanco has occurred With
In our recollection, where men occupying high
Official and eocla! positions, hare been found to be
beioEe an outraged public In their proper charac-
ter. It ls not surprising, therefore, that these
people should be clamoTous that prosecution for
Latter!y these outcraee hare had the effect to In
duce the Board Of Police Commissioners, led by
he Me{or. to Issue an order that no policeman
house Of I,fsme, cIcept upon complaint Of two
respectable househo'defs; that all deacents should
that no person should be a.7estcd as an inmate
who WAS mere casual visitor. These instrue-
tons. il vail be eeen amouns 70 virtual lea'tza,
are not ueually supposed to be co,:nix,ut OF the
II we understand the order. would NOT be allowed
quired to swear to their own diegrase. The time
oi entry ie quite as vice thF7ves
beet atrer dark and many houses, Whete, In hours
ofdaikness The demo1allzing trathe l. prosecuted.
well regulated household That Other provision,
that easual yistors .ha not be considered rs '1n.
Gated than the othcra. What better inducemcrt
ior the ronehs the oaieEa and respectable citizens
to visit these houses could be devised, than the
announcement sLat On DO account are they to be
disturbed or au1cr disgrace at the hands OF those
In EuthoFityf docs It not amount to premium
for prostitutiont
IN our Judgment, the practice which formerly OBJ
ance With TIC epiit Of the Law, end infinitely more
In accordance with the vtrtuous acnse Of the com.
munltY. Already has the order worked an alarm
infamy arc located on the Ayeuues and our most
prominent residence thoroughfares, and respect
vent It. Upon State atfoet, Clark street.
Third and Fourth syeuuee, and on
fhe ubiquitous traffic flourlshes In the broad day
iiFht, legalized BY the action Of Mayor Sherman
abundant protection Of u1elsw. Il It dItlng that