, 1873-01-09
Reformers.

NtNASd Jul COluLuuS 10 Tilt
exposition and denunciation of one O
the most infamous institutions vh1cl
was ever tolerated in any community
with the least pretentions to Christian
civilization, We have been flooded with
communications from professional re.
formers of every hue, representing every
practicable and impracticable project oi
reform ever conceived, with the design
on the part of each of securing for theil
own pet scheme recognition with the
practicable reform we had in view. We
simply sought t. remove cancer whie b
is preying upon the public vitals, and
not by the same operation attempt to ex.
terminate all the sores upon the body
polite. A system of purging and
bleeding may be good for one disease;
fumigating and sweating for another
blistering and excoriating for another
the use of the knife for another; sooth.
ing appliances for another. Some dis
eases cannot be cured without a thor.
ough renovation of the whole system
others may be removed by direct ap-
plication to the parts affected. You,
radical reformer makes no discrimina.
ton in moral diseases, but like certain
political organization in New York few
years ago, called Barn Burners" they
would burn the barn to exterminate the
rats.
Such impracticables always marin ore
than they aid any necessary reform, be-
cause they concede nothing to establish
ed social customs, tolerate no differences
of opinion, or make any allowances for
the prejudices of education or associa-
ton IN others. In fact, they will ac-
cept no reform, however necessary to
the well being of society, except upon
their own terms-a recognition of their
own peculiar notions. Thus, when we
attempt to concentrate public opinion
upon the manifest public scandal and
demoralizing consequences of tolerating
Il squaw brothel and dance house in the
midst of our fair city, and open gam
bling houses upon our public thorough
fares in defiance of law and public de-
cency, the radical temperance reformer
diverts attention from the main issue BY
declaring that it is the 'nefarious liquor
traffic which is the fountain of all the
other public and private vices; and the
advocate of ''women suffrage" creates
another diversion by asserting that it is
the natural depravity and conventional
tyranny of man which fosters and sus-
tains these places of criminal indulgence,
which can never be exterminated until
women are invested with equal political
rights. Neither makes any discrimina-
ton between the law-abiding and the
lawless engaged in pursuits which con-
fict with their own views. The men of
charactar and standing engaged in the
liquor traffic, VINO strictly conform to
the laws and are endorsed by public
sentiment, are assailed in common with
the most lawless and vicious portion of
the community, and forced in self-de-
fence to make common cause with the
latter class in defence of their own rights.
1t is sheer folly and madness to assail
men engaged in lawful pursuits, before
public sentiment is SO far educated and
reformed as to enforce the laws already
existing for the suppression of immoral
practices. The first question to be de-
termined is, whether the laws against
public gambling and prostitution can be
enforced. When that is settled, it will
be time enough to discuss other reforms
in law. Until then, all attempts to di-
vert the public mind from the main is
sue, by dragging into the controversy
other questions of reform, is simply to
divide our forces and give aid and COM
ort to the common enemy.