The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-16
THE SOCIAL EVIL.

Among the many sins of omission of
the Legislature at it's last session was the
failure to pass any legislation with view to
placing under a proper restraint and survel-
lance the social evil. The city members at
least knew Of the necessity for such legisla-
ton, for the fragrant abuses resulting from
the unrestrained lewdness of abandoned
women in this city have grown to such pro-
portions, are so open and undisguised, that
they are matters Of universal complaint
Their baneful effects, not only upon the pub
lie morals, but also in depreciating the value
Of property on many of the best streets of
the city, and these the most desirable
localities for residences, were brought to their
attention by an elaborate article in the DEM
OCRAT In which these results Of the evil it.
self were set forth, and an epitome given of
the various laws adopted in other States and
In France for controlling it. Besides this, the
Grand Jury made it the subject Of report
only less exhaustive than the article of the
DEMOCRAT. Our city members cannot com
plain that their attention was not drawn to
the matter, and we cannot imagine what ex-
cuse they can give for not passing such law
| as was clearly needed and explicitly asked
| for. We know that distinguished lawyer of
this city, who had made the matter subject
Of investigation, contemplated at one time
the preparation of bill for submission to the
Legislature; but doubtless he found, as others
did, that no legislation could be secured In
| which personal interest was not enlisted,
and abandoned it. Had this bill passed there
would be no difficulty In combining women of
| this class to certain localities and placing
| upon them certain restraints that would, at
| least, prevent them from offending public de
cency at every step. The failure to pass it must
necessarily greatly embarrass the city gov
eminent in it's efforts to deal with the ques-
ton, while it is left utterly unable to effect
the thorough reform that Is imperatively de-
manded. However, by the active and rigid
enforcement Of its police powers and with the
concert Of all good citizens who happen to re-
side in localities where houses VIGOROUSLY
used for lewd purposes exist, the evil may in
measure be corrected, and q number Of the
more notorious Of these establishments in
good nelghborhoods be broken up.
In another column will be found an account
Of petition addressed by citizens of the
neighborhood to Chief lioylan, calling atten-
ton to the designation house kept at No 1913
Carondelet street, which was brought into
notice in connection with the Ormsby case,
and asking that he take steps to break up the
establishment and cause the removal Of the
person keeping it to some other locality.
The Chief of Police referred the matter to the
Mayor, who declared his intention
of using all the police power of the
city government to afford the relief
asked for, and correctly observed that the
city government can relieve itself of the
responsibility resting upon it only by
thoroughly testing the extent Of its authority
in the premises. The ordinances now in
force only apply to brothels, and not to as
signation -houses; but even these ordinances,
except In 50 far as they enforce order and
punish indecent exposures, have become OBJ
solete, as we understand, because OF decisions
OF the courts that they exceed the legislative
powers vested in the city. However this
may be. it is clearly the duty Of the
city authorities to pass such ordinances