The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-30
THE SOCIAL EVIL.
AGAINST WHICH THE COMMUNITY
ASKS ron rnoTkCTlON
AND DEFENSE.
The Actual Extent of the EVIL and I'll
palIiatiens ANA Corrections "a
he Applied.

The Actual Extent Of the EVIL and the
pailiaticns ANA Corrections 10
he Applied.
| It has been source of universal complaint for
years that many OF the streets contiguous 10 the
business portions Of the city and others. which
for their beauty and accessibility are deers.
bic for residences, have been rendered almost I'M
inhabitable for families. who have been driven
from them 10 more remote aud lees attractive
localities, because Of the innumerable houses Of
prostitution that are permitted TO exist along
these thoroughiAres. II IL no eIsggeraton TO
say that
This EVIL
has Iatterly grown TO such magnitude that some
of the most attractive Of our streets have
been abandoned 10 such establishments, and are
almost impossible for ladies even In the day
time, while upon one or two the foot OF virtue
scarcely ventures ever to tread. Several Of
these are among the best lighted and best
paved portions Of the city, and along nearly all
Of them are large, comfortable and elegant
abodes, which once were The houses Of families.
| but which are now the
| REFUGEES or VICE AND SHAME.
either open brotbels or ntdisons de pusse
| Basin, one Of the most lovely Of our many
beautiful boulevsrds, 10 entirely abandoned
10 such establishments and 10 conspicuous
and palatial are these that every stranger
passing along Canal street 10 necessarily A.
trscted to them and induced to inquire concern
ing them. Here and In other localities, within
block Of Canal street. after dark,
oyPRtANs PLY THEIR TRADE
In the most open way, and the pssser by IL Gig
nailed from windows aud doors, and even socosted
on the street. while the display Of person and the
ebscenty Of language are lavish indeed.
Now there are left upon some OF these streets
but few private residences wedged In between
the various descriptions Of bad houses, and IL Was
but the other day that prominent gentleman
was compelled to abandon an elegant home which
cost him not less than s20, 000 but. which he in.
forms us he IL Offering to sell for less than half
that sum.
This incident 10 but repetition Of what has
been occurring from time TO time for years, and
II 10 Of such facts that the history 10 made up OF
the steady .--..--.-
DEPRECIATION or REAL ESTATE
along these streets, till now the property In these
localities, which should command the highest
prices Of any residence sites in the city, 10 COM
paratively worthless.
But these brothels and designation houses are
by no means confined to these particular locsli.
ties. They exist oil over the city, nearly every
street. IL lie hardly possible 70 estimate the
fearful Generalization that must result from this
contact Of society with these unhappy wonsep.
vet all over the city We see these women brought
into relations with the people shout them on
terms 1t least Of observation. Such influences
brought TO bear on the young
Ann rupEaraTrnfE
The innocent mind. gradually accustomed N
regard with Indifference the abasement OF sin,
ceases 10 abhor II. and the strongest barrier be.
tween virtue and vice 10 destroyed: The ccnta-
gious nature o. Woe 10 proverbisl; aud " IL u.
moot impossible 10 imagine the power attained
by III conditioned children, degraded Ia oil their
sentiments and moral ideas by contact with these
lewd persona, and the fatal readiness with which
their sinful words and practices are propagsted,
" 10 the
DUTY or SOCIETY
TO guard against these insidious corruptions and
10 protect the honest and Industrious against
their debasing influences. There are we lknownin-
stances where vrtupus and indus rious girls have
been allured to shame and dishonor solely by cas-
nal contact with depFAvsd women, for whom they
did sewing or whoun they waited on ~ custom 70.
How much greater must be the d. generalization
when the daily lives Of such people are constant
" before their eyes Il would be hard to realize
things that happen daily in this city, and merely
AZ matters Of course. The Dives OF society has
been often reproaohed Tor his ignorance OF
As Carlyle finely observes, "The duty OF Chris
tiAn society IL to fnd its work and TO do It,"
This must be our excuse for presenting this
question to our readers. and II We merely m Afe
statements In q general way, IL Ia only to avdSd
further offending by the presentation Of nau-
seating details, which
ARE, UrRApprLy, BUT TOO ABUNDANT.
The attention Of the city members of the Legis-
Isture specially IL called to the enormlty Of this
evil, and the unchecked and fragrant license with
which 1t ia Haunted in the public face, to the Sc
rious detriment Of our city ~ we'll as the off nse
| Of all public decency. Measures for it's suppress
sion and the confinement Of prostitution within
| certain limits by legislation should now receive
the serious and thoughtful consideration OF our
| citizens.
The vice is very difficult of treatment, from the
| obvious delsscy OF the su ject. Such SUBJ ects
seem by common consent to be bAnished from
rational investiga by the majority of people,
as If shutting ones eyes to the fact would prove
it's non-existence. This
FALSE DEL1cAcY
ia more Injurious than ia commonly supposed, fol-
the reason that it places these unfortunates be-
yond the pale of humanity, and excludes them
from the hopeful aud helpful influences the hu
msnitarian and philanthroplst would bring &c
bear on them, while II leaves society unprotected
against the disease and vice the hopelessly de-
PRAYED 80 widely propagate.
Arguments are unnecessary to prove the exist
ence Of the evil; it is notorious that none car
possibly ignore it. 1t is = subject which societ,
must deal with, and it cannot be got rid Of b!
Mr.. Podsnsps plan Of simply putting it behint
us. Hitherto reticence has been the policy. Th
position has been held too long, for it is false il
principle and injurious in tendency, and the da!
has come when this great
/ SOCIAL HORROR
must be treated as other similar evils are, b.
legislation. This much the public safety Ant
common decency imperiously demand.
1t is 8 mere absurdity to assert that prostitH
ton can be eradicated. But il history prove
that
THIS VICE CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED,
il also demonstrates that it can be regulated an
, directed iuto channels where its injurious result
can BIZ encountered and its dangerous tendence
| arrested or materially weakened. This is tn
!; policy to which civilized communities are grad
: ually tending.
! In some Of the countries of Continent al Eu
> rora tho nacassarv IN fbo aDconaa n