, 1870-07-31

mrHs l4Evcrmorc On tho ST. Louis At.
tempt to kcgalntc tahe Soctnl

EH1ksss
From sl:t Nassasls Journal, July =.
The city OF st. Louis has made the first nj
tempt in tltA country to regulate wllat IL called
the social evil by statutory enactment. It
has Just passed M ordinance for what it il
pleased to cali :" the regulation Of houses Of
illfame.' Assuming that the VICE Of iecn-
houbnet6 canuot te suppressed, tlsat it IL IN
evitaLlc, iuer4dicahle, All absolute cuncomi:-
ant OF human society, tie Common Council OF
that city have decided 10 tolerate it, to rocos-
nize it AZ = batineas, AZ theS do the liquor
traffic, and to hedge il about, and throw around
it the restraints and SANCTION OF law.
1t will be seen that this ordinance, drawn up
ard enactea by lien entirely. ID framed very
cuEnuglg, 20 III to reach women alone, aud 50
thst mtn whose vices support these houses OF
rim and death may suffer no inconVeuianco
tiom disease, nolestAtiti.. ka1Asiou, OF q dir
! closure OF their naines 10 tue authorities, who
may be, a.:d indeed often arc, among the
pattohs OF thceo houses. The utmost se:c7ecy
i is provided for them, Id we'll ca economy, A1ld
immunity tter. the 1.atasal and Just penalties
Of 4 licenticus life. The Otlinluce might with
hrest l,ro1,rie,y be called IAN ordinance to
render Righteousness cafe, cheap, Lccre., aal
easy 10 men." Isi"y 4rv not even required to
hid In the support Of the hospital which To-
ceiTea the Victims OF their lust=--tul the uun8
Of the whole nefa1ious traaic IL lad upon
women
! The ria Of the women thus placed uuaez
rigid surveillance, and burlened with heavy
taxation, Springs almost entirely from ulcir
sympathy aud compliance with tlu t1opraybd
desires CT men, and iheiupossi5iiity OF women
obtaauinE IernuneIatiya employ 5nent, in tho
Eseeeht status Of tie hs1siucHs End working
| nolld. .'Fiye~sixths Of tho vico and crime Of
wotaen can be directly tEsceai to their Affection
| f1- men, and the Submission With which they
| viold to lie stronger aud coArser ser" Bays a
late writer On this subject. And set With What
inexorabIe tevarit; il punishment ucted ou:
to them; what hinds1nces aSe In the way Of
their reformation! Tho laws OF custom and
society. aud the legal requirements Of tho
! lard, for them. are 70 stringent that angels
Aould hardly I've up to them. 1l,osa for men
are broad, elastic, framed for the csaape OF
ue. guilty, and aseo.nusodated n tue loose
nosions u morality that pEcT4H 4u1oaS them.
Sad and outrageous a. Is This state OF tAil,gs,
and while our rulsc leaps with indignation Al
the thought of it, VIC And some consolation iu
| tic PROOF ct tho moral superiority of WOMEN
AZ shown by the Statistics OF tho relative Grim.
itality OF tle two texcs even under such abom'
il,at,le legislation. T2k1 Massachusetts a,oi.a
In this State. So every ouu knows, there a1e
GD,tU0 or 10, 0,001 more w.1Ilca THAI 1nea. Ba
Vt these T,uni-led by imprisonment list year
the men, In minority as 10 numbers, greatly
nutnNnabered the women. "Iheso .sers II ,GS.
committments OF men for various offences il
the State, and !, ,GG9 co1an.ltta1cnss Of women
More than 10 .0tD men were inaprssonod. AM
only about $500 woucn. This pro!ur:ia.
prevails in ot4er States aud countries, AMI lhi
csstaes Of meh eyczywlere aro from three Il
i've tiuca as numerous a8 thosc ct wo1ncn.
}; Cannot the most stclid see in sh2:o facts q,
argument for the assin4:ion OF Eaui II to ra7
ticilutiou in tie fratui1:;; Ct the laws ty Will
tl.eS ARE governed, aslA arc compelled to a!,ay
Should tho legislation 10: uotntn bo 1ef. in til
l.aEds ct those WHO rza!i,sto srnc. thcir ranL
from three to live iilles aa SaanT criminals =
arc recruited from anone wun.cn7 l. il w:s
fer women to continue apatilcti:, to tho e.i
Of exclusive u,alc government, wlle,l prcyi
3, aiuu is made for tie punishment OF one He
aud tho cumplete esea,st. ct the other, Latl
being found equally guilty IL tho Same sla a
the ssrne time aud place: Never u:lt the &C
; ATTEMPT ut it's suppression and care, unt
, WuIneE have ule vote, and GtanH OIL .aa SAN
platform of political equality with man. Wit
half the Common Council OF st. Louis Cll1
: up Of wonten, no such ordiuarcc as ths abov
could Lave tean pasted Aua untl werne
tlla of ST. Lt,uis il all that can be looked tn
. Oie thing u,ore. We have little cusioait
: : to knoG ~LAt disposition will be nla4lo by s.
Lofts Of Tho large amounts that will accrue I
= il from tho "munthly personal and hous
o tax Le levied on houses Of ili.fau,e i'll
= ruined souls III defraying the expense OF G.
;, cu1rint.s OF the city bos1 Of Government 1
ne;Gf4t orirg cities, to the Rocky MOUNTAINS,
F=n FrrnciEco. OF lo:slLly to its lnrgcr IN
: rlc.e wicked rival NJ" lo:ks Or in luncls
!, at 9, me VI The Laadsomo hotels. or in glv;1
Q entertainments to g'.cstE Of the city fro
nsteaas CIR will thcsc .'wases uf Sin"
- sEcEt i'll its extensive water works. now in TT
= cess Of construction; ip laying out publ
rake, .r ercc,iug magnificent lsl{ or 5uasee
II We remember tA1t Chicago rs:se1 Que sc,
;, Recently, LctHecn .+s0, ,GUu AnI s-igj t,o1 fro
= ii.c license fees Of i,s whi-koy shois. j,
e l2.tr-bc.r sslcoa-, o,4s-h:.lt VI wilirh ii q
rlupiatcti to the iua.ItenAnce OF ''W4s
i1gioni..i Hon1s,' for tlIe reformation at Il
: dsCnaa,ta It had helped tt mahuflctur
:. Carrot :ss. I.Gu.s he persuaded ina 4 III
!! stresk q Lt,.e:ic. ace, and 10 inluced to :
:. p1eI1iatc to elle Na1;laicn Hospital, ~!.ich
y las cr:leIcd for tho female victims OF mat
= lust, oae-tcntl, Of tlla foes 1t E1cLe. fruu tt
: til:hs earnings OF prostitution: