The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-16
1 PHILANTHR0PIsT ON THE So
QIAL EVIL.


We have before referred to the posi-
ton of DIR. Holland upon the "woman
question:" advocating the social eman-
cipation of woman, but denouncing her
political emancipation. Using the force
of his mighty and logical mind for the
rights of woman as he understands these
rights, and uusparing in his censure of
those who foully wrong or seek to wrong
her, he gives voice to ideas that are
founded upon eternal truth and justice,
and so grounded will stand forever more.
Charitably judging other men by him
self, he can see no need of political priv
ileges for women, and it is but fair to
presume that were purity, honor and
nobility of soul the rule among men,
women would never have been goaded
by necessity into demanding the ballot
as a weapon of defense.
Speaking of the social evil, he pro-
poses to deal out, measure for measure,
the punishments to those by whose pas
sions and devices it thrives and grows.
But alas, the great army of cold-blooded
scoffing foes of social purity so far out
number their opponents, the friends of
virtue and morality, that it is necessary
to recruit the ranks of voters from the
latter class if they attempt to overcome
the former. He asks, scouting the idea
of woman's votes), allow do you expect
to treat effectually a two-sided crime
with one-sided votes ?" "How, indeed,
do yOu expect it ?r women answer, and
wait in vain for a response. Is it strange
that men do not vote penalties such as
registration, medical inspection, sur
veillance or restraint of any sort npon
themselves? Can we expect them to dc
SOP Surely not. One-sided voters, with
all the power in their own hands, il
would be strange indeed if they did not
use it to their own advantage.
But when DIR. Holland, from his strict
and keen sense of justice, gives voice tc
sentiments such as these, every true
woman in the land is with him, and al
the close utters a deep and fervent
Amen:
"If we are to have laws, let us have just laws
In the first place, let us not talk about voIun
tary crime as a necessary and incurable evil
That is decentralization at the start. In the sec
ond place, let us have for all two-sided crimes
two-sided laws. Prostitution is a twO-sideC
crime. 1t is not possible without a confederate
or a companion. Make the same law for on,
that you make for the other, and see how lonl
prostitution would last. No legislation which
takes into consideration only one of the guilt
parties can possibly thrive. 1t is an outrag,
| against the criminal who is Disseminated
against. 1t is an outrage upon the common
sense of justice. When our grand juries, anC
our boards of health, and our medical conven
tions, and our Legislators are ready for regula
tive laws which embrace both parties in tn
social crime, we shall be with them for sucl
laws will not be simply regulative, they will
be curative. Until then, we call upon all goot
people 10 oppose, as they would oppose fire, o
plague, or invasion, every attempt 10 give II
the regulative laws that have debased all Eu
rope, and from which many of the best Euro
peans are trying to release themselves"
After DIR. Holland theories awhil
longer and finds the world to be not a
it should be but as it is, he will doubt
less be ready to acknowledge that tn
ballot in the hands of woman is the in
strument that is destined to strike
stunning, if not annihiIating blow a
the gigantic thing called the "socia
evil" the existence of which he S
much deplores.