Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-02
entirely to pleasure. aeekinr. drinking

entirely to pleasure. seeking, drinking
and debauchery. Within stones throw
OF this hall are nearly score Of theaters
and concert-rooms, some of the latter of
which have surely escaped the notice of
the high functionary who sits In Judgment
on the morals of such places. Stand in
after dark, and while everything within its
precincts is suggestive Of lofty thoughts
aud noble actions, outside the glare OF the
lights in front of the drinking places, and
the maudlin chatter OF half-drunken men,
mingled with the
GIDDY LAUGH OF THE PAINTED SIREN,
viii make your head swim and the heart
grow faint with utter disgust of the scene
There is perhaps only one locality in all
London where the social evil is more obtru.
sive than here Besides the many aban-
doned females who brazenly parade the
side walks of the public thoroughfare, you
find groups of them stationed at the cor.
ners of all the side. streets, while the rail
way station near by is perfect rendezvous
for such characters. In the electric illu
mination OF this place there seems to be
fascination for these creatures. The light
draws them as it does insects, and with
equally damaging results, for under the
glare of the carbon the glamour of beauty
and mystery which partial darkness throws
over their compilations is ruthlessly stripped
off and they appear to the beholder in the
hideous gulse which paste and powder i'm
part. Ehat these unhappy wretches, over
whose miserable lot every true heart must
bleed in pity, but whose powers for mischief
are 80 vast as to cause the philsnthropist
to tremble with alarm, should be allowed
such license under the very eyes of the po-
lice, in one of the principal thoroughfares
of the great metropolis of Christian Eng
land, is one of the marvels OF the time.
With the history of what has been, or is
being, done to
REGULATE THIS INDUSTRIOUS INIQUrTY
Your correspondent has not yet mad time
to make himself familiar, but the readers
of the REcoRD-UNIoN shall know all on
this subject shortly that can be beneficial
to them Meanwhile let US be thankful
that Exeter Hall still stands, and that it
stands lust where it does-a bulwark in
front of the weakest spot in the fortifca-
tions-a light house in the midst of the
shoals on which SO many thousands are in
danger OF being wrecked. l may say in
this connection that the people of this
country are opposed, by a large majority,
to any State regulation of the social evil
that either involves an added degradation
to the unfortunate women, or that prom
ises an additional security to the greater
sinners in the case-.he degraded men who
make these women the victims of their
lust. The resolution recently passed by
the House of Commons, annulling that
portion of the Contagious Diseases Acts,
in force now in three of the garrison towns
of the Kingdom, which provides for the
compulsory examination of these fallen
victims, voices the sentiment of the latter
classes, and may be regarded as an indica-
ton, not only that no extension OF these
Acts to other places will be allowed, but
that it would not take much agitation to
bring the people to the point of setting
them aside altogether. The continual dis
cussion of the subject in Parliament flor
though the vote has been taken it breaks
out afresh about every other night must
not be mistaken for sign of general dis
content at the action of the Government
in giving its influence in favor of the repeal
of this disagreeable provision of the Acts.
Most of the fuss is made by members who
represent the towns directly interested,
and the Opposition, of course, seize upon
the circumstances as afording them an.
other opportunity to seek to embarrass Mr..
Gladstone. in this matter, however, the
Governmentunquestio have the masses
of the people at their back.