The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-08-01
From the RevOluti9n.l
The Social Evil in New York.

Tabular and statistical facts of the wo-
men of ill-fame in this city exhibit the
following results
Can neither read nor write, 1906 per
cent; can read only, 1926 per ct. read
and write imperfectly, 27.30 per Ct; read
and write well, 1919 per ct.
It is greatly to be regretted that no alb
~solutely accurate statistics are at hand
upon the subject under consideration
Tney might easily be obtained, but there
seems to be no person sufficiently inter-
ested in solving this social problem, i'm.
portant rs it is on all sides conceded to
be, to undertake the task of gathering
and publishing such facts as might be
had for the mere asking. In this regard
our reformatory institutions do absolutely
nothing, although some of them have
the amplest opportunities. From the
best knowledge | have been able to gath
er upon the subject, based both upon OBJ
seryation and inquiry, it is now probable
that New York contains in round num-
bers about 10000 women who, either
publicly or privately make a marketable
commodity of chastity. This number
may be classified as follows Inmates of
brothels, $500, habitues of houses of as
signation $500, mistresses, who also more
or less frequently meet acquaintance at
the latter establishments, 1900, and, fin
ally, the delicate, married and single who
have one or, more intimate friends to
whom they grant special passional favore
from motives not altogether mercenary,
500. Total, 10000. From certain data,
the immediate causes of the adoption of
this mode or habit of life may be stated,
approximately, thus Destitution, 1925;
idleness, $3.50; seduction, 1855; love
of liquor, 905; i~ll-treatment by parents
or relatives, 800; bad company, 765.
Other causes were of course ut work
into which these general and prominent
ones might have been subsidized, but this
bold statement, without explanation or
detail, viii serve our present purpose
Now, if We suppose that each one of these
10000 women earn SO per week through.
her unholy trade, we have the enormou
sum Of 100000 per week, or 81, 200, 900
that is yearly spent in this city alone for
the qualification of this demon Of maseu-
line lust.
Thus far the business seems to be one
Of demand and supply. But a business
that earns annually S5,00O,0 900 requires
an Investment of at least three times that
sum, and that is perhaps a fair estimate of
the value Of property, personal and real,
that is required by this trade as at pres
ent conducted. Still these figures do not
yet present the amount of money actual
" expended yearly through this chanDel;
for nothing has been said of wines and
liquors, and other luxuries which the
business demands. nor any attempt made
to estimate the pecuniary cost of the dis
eases that have propagated and inter-
changed through this promiscuous inter-
course of the sexes. The estimate of
the earnings of these women is exceed
ingIy low but here is another of a diff
ferent kind, still lower and far more strik-
ing. If, out of these 10, 200 women, 100
are continually diseased number far
below the reality-and these 100 women
commit two acts of prostitution daily.
thereby injecting only so per eentum of
those whom they entertain, each sepa-
rate case of disease lasting only FIVE
days, We reach the conclusion that 172,-
600 persons are constantly infected by
q or the other of these diseases. AL
so how many wives and mothers are in
daily danger through these $4,000 dis
eased people.