The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-05-17
THE LAW TO MITIGATE"

remembered, an ordinance IN iOrce Tor the sup
preston, or at least the limitation and regulation
Of the so-called - sccial evil In several of the
American journals recently come to hand we find
references to this regulation, more or less adj
verscly criticsing its operation. The Boston
Commonwealth says The attempt which the
authorities Of st. Louis have been making for
several years 20 grapple with, and if possible
mitigate and restrain, If not eradicate, the great
social evil Of the world, by licensing and doctor
ing 4 certain number Of honses of prostitution,
seems to have lailed of It's object, as all attempts
to compromise with or license wickedness must,
and Is calling out a strong opposition William
Lloyd Garrison treats the subject to 4 severe crit
icism in the y. Y. Independenf, the burden of his
structures however, bearing upon the injustice Of
enforcing the law in relation to females only.
We have taken occasion in times past 10 criti-
else our own " Act TO Mitigate and have advo-
Gated its repeal, not by any means that we did
not appreciate the grave Importance Of doing
something by legislation TO mitigate the evils and
miseries arising from the breach Of the seventh
commandment, but because we bad ample evil
dcnce that the law failed of accomplishing the
purpose for which it was enacted, and further
that its operation in como instances led to the un-
justifable Infringement of personal rights. The
Legislative Assembly Of 1872 repealed the law,
by n vote Of q to IL, 4 majority whose voice
should be respected, an echo, as it was undoubt-
eddy, of the voice of the people. But whilc We
commend the action of the Assembly in this, we
confess we did not feel that its work was accom-
plisied, when it adjourned without providing
some substitute for the law repealed, some
into the very life of this people. That there is an
intimate relationship between the diseases engen-
dered by the social evil and the Ieprosy, of which
we hear and see so much in these days, there can
be no doubt. In many cases, the one supplements
the other.
This subject is undoubtedly one of the most
difficult to treat that has ever been brought before
a Legislature. The strongest supporters of the
law admitted they could not argue for its morality,
bat they reasoned that in this case the end would
Justify the means. 1t is not true that u measure
which the state of society and public opinion in
Boston or st. Louis will defeat, is therefore to be
discarded in Honolulu, for the antecedent prop
ositions are different.
Some urge that the present law should be again
put into operation. the late King having returned
without his signature the act for its repeal.
We cannot support the proposition. The voice of
the people, expressed in the very decided Legisla-
tive majority that voted to repeal the law, is en-
titled to respect and consideration. Besides, the
Legislature adjourned without providing the
means for carrying out the law, and it therefore
stands virtually suspended and imperative until n
succeeding Legislature shall vote the necessary
supplies. One of the provisions of the law is to
the effect that the funds necessary for it's execution
shall, from time to time, be appropriated by the
Legislature. There being no such appropriation,
the Minister Of the Interior would assume q grave
responsibility were he now to put the law into
operation.
Within a year the Legislature will be again
convened, when any proposed law may be passed
upon, but in the meantime the law of 1860 should
rest in allegiance. We have reason to expect that
an act calculated to take the place of the old one
and which will meet the requirements of the case
sufficiently TO find favor with all, will be drafted
for presentation and discussion early in the
session. We are of the opinion that more good
can be accomplished by both the friends and
opponents of the present 1" Act to Mitigate ~ by
carefully considering the subject during the
present year, than by the enforcement of the pro-
visions of q law so evidently repugnant to the
people.
In England, after 4 great deal of opposition, a
law has been enacted and now for some years in
operation identical in principle with our " Act to
Mitigate and this is what q late number of the
London Lancet says about it:
We have before us a letter addressed to the Home
Secretary in support of the Contagious Diseases Acts
by lending members Of the medical profession. copies
of which are at the present time being circulated for
the perusal and signature OF medical men generally.
The deteriOrating influence exercised by this form Of
disease on the public health, the suffering it entails
upon large numbers of innocent individuals, and the
beneficial sanitary operation of the Acts now in force,
which can be shown to have reduced the more serious
form of disease by considerably more than one-half
in the districts where they are in operation, are
pressed upon the notice Of the Home Secretary.
Plymouth and Davenport may be pointed to as show
ing the beneficial operation of the Contagious
Diseases Acts. In April, 1866. there were in these
districts no less than 100 prostitutes under fifteen,
and 207 under seventeen years Of age; but on the
3Ist of December last there was not one under fifteen,
and only one under seventeen. During the past year
So girls between the ages of thirteen and twenty-one,
found in brothels in these districts, were restored to
their friends, without having been subjected to the
operation of the Acts. and 60 others were restored to
their friends or placed in asylums, after being cured
at the hospital. Thus the Acts are seen to be re-
c~lsmatory as well as preventive. The declarations
contained in the letter to the Home Secretary are,
We firmly believe, based upon the most trustworthy
evidence. 1t would be teo much to hope that these
will convince a class of people who persist in dissem-
mating mischievous, false, or exaggerated statements;
but we join heartily with the eminent members Of
the profession whose signatures are attached TO the
document, in the earnest hope that Mr.. Bruce may
be induced to look the facts in the face, aud 10 take a
statesmanlike view of the matter, and that he will
not BE misled By the clamors and p~rejudices of a fac