The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-06-27
THE SHAME or sT. LnnIs

The terrible abomination called the
Contagious Disease Act, which has re-
Gently became a law in st. Louis, has
awakened a storm of Indignation among
thousands Of leading women Of the city,
who, prior to the passage of this Act,
had taken no part or lot ia the Woman
Movement.
This Act was framed by men and for
men, and for the express purpose of
shielding themselves in social crimes.
II we should publish this odious Act
we have little doubt but there are hus-
bands and fathers plenty among our
readers who would feel that we should
be indicted for sending obscene prints
through the United States mails, yet
these same husbands and fathers should
know that such is local law in st. Louis
that if their wives or daughters should
be thrown by fortune in that city alone,
unknown and unattended, and should
they dare to seek lodgings for the night,
they would at once become objects of
suspicion and arrest; and despite their
protestations Of innocence, they would
be subjected to the indignity of mascu-
line medical examination, and COM
PEELED to pay license for plying an in
famous trade, or be. imprisoned in the
city Jail!
Yet in this same moral city men can
go anywhere unchallenged, transmit
loathsome diseases among fallen women
with impunity, or catching an abomin-
able and nameless contagion, inflict the
same upon their innocent wives and
children as an inalienable privilege!
A memorial of 1000 women praying
for the repeal of the Social Evil ordi-
nance, was presented recently to the
Committee of Council on Sanitary af-
fairs, who called special meeting to
discuss it. Among many other very
good reasons for the repeal OF the
tShame OF st. Louis" we select the fol-
lowing:
The ordinance should be repealed, because Il
is an open offence to morality aud religion
This also has been conceded in public speech
by the chief executive officer OF the city. and
deeply and most painfully felt by a very large
mum ber of our ieliOw-ciiizens, and most decpiy
by those 10 whom the principles OF morality
and religion are most dear. Upon this point nC
argument i offered, because none IS needed
No man thinks OF defending the ordinance on
moral or religious grounds. II prostitution Is
not wrong, nothing is wrong, and a law which
sactions IL and provides for its continuanc,
cannot be right. Your petitioners would alst
most respectfully urge that whatever Il wrOnG
in principle must be pernicious in it, effects
by lowering the tone of public morals, and ul
timately increasing the evils which IL may
nave been intended TO prevent such effect,
are already obvious In the increased opcnnes,
OF vice, and in the perniclous influence upor
the young. but they must become far more ev
tdent every day, IL continued, until the founda
tions OF social morality are sapped, as they
have been in other cities wherever the tria
has been long made. No apparent good efiect'
can atone for the deterioration OF public NOR
ais No greater injury can be done To com
munity than 10 lessen the sacredness OF domes
tic life. In matters which concern social inter
> ests, whoever sets nj nought the principles o
justice and morality, on the plea Of promotini
demns the cause lac would advocate.
The ordinance should be repealed, not onl!
, because 10 is unjust and wrong Ia principle, bu
because IL Is useless and pernicious in tact. Tn,
experience Of Our own city. although too brie
10 be fully relied upon, IL II stood alone ha
l not been by any means satisfactory. In foreign
! eities where similar laws have been in opera
ton for many years, under circumstances NOR
favorable than can possibly exist here, the sta
. tstics clearly prove that the total amount o
; prostitution is very largely increased, and th
: amount OF disease 10 say the least, not az al
diminished.
= The Committee, after lengthy discus
sions pro and con, adjourned to NEE
D again on the following Monday.
: Thus, every day new evidences com
e before the people that the time has com
: for woman to step forth from the tram
+ mels of custom and stand up fearlessl.
e in defense Of justice. And every day
o public action chronicles some fact (
e prove that men alone are incompeten
ST TO make wise and equitable laws for tn
II government of men and women.
NJ