Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-06-20
AN INFAMOUS PROPOSITION.

y city Trustee has unwisely projected
debate into the public discussion of city
affairs by the proposal to license houses
Of prostitution, with fent at regulating
them. 1t will be prottle5s debate 1t is
scarcely possible, after centuries Of failure
on the part of civilization in this direction,
that the Trustees Of the city of Sacramento
can hit upon any plan, in the form of
license. to control or regulate the social
evil 1t is popularity supposed that regis
try system has been successful in several
European countries, but in fact it is not
true. The success claimed for it is not
real, and the effect has been simply to scat
ter the evil more broadly in communities
and to lower the standard of virtue We
have no need to borrow methods from the
prohisacy Of Europe or the monarchical
ethics Of public morals. The idea is not
only immoral. but un-American since it is
a rctrogrcsSive step. 1t is not thinkablc
that this people will consent to augment
municipal revenue by the wages of shame
But, aside from all sentimental and moral
ton to the scheme and that is that the evil
is under the ban of the Law, and no patch
work or other ordinances will stand against
the statutes Of the State. 1t is demon
strabe that the prostitution-license system
will result in greater evil. 1t will, beside
belittling the State law and cultiyating
disreSpcct for the Penal Code that will
manifest itself iniurioualy to the COM
munity, drive prostitution from the public
houses to private hauntS-as il has done
wherever ticd-and thus multiply the
evil. Any feasible municipal scheme of
controlling and narrowing the social evil
or of driving it To restricted quarters,
in the direction of the prohibition of the
law, is desirable But license does not
propose to 10 this. for il flies in the face
of this laG and affords protection to law
breakers, and no community can afford to
do that shameless thing II is very true
as shown bv opinions published yesterday
that a large number of citizens favor the
proposed license system. But it Will be
noted that all such speak in general terms.
and between the lines it is easy 70 read that
what they really mean is some sort of po-
lice regulation and surveillance. But this
should not be Of a character that viii give
any shadow of legitimacy to the infamy, or
any color of right 20 follow it. As we have
said already this city can i'll afford TO stain
its public treasury by exactions levied upon
public women. TO do So will be to publish
Sacramento abroad rs hrazen- faced and
shameless, and 10 write against her fair
fame a record of infamy, fostercd by state
of low morals. 1t is said that the State
law prohibiting cannot he cnforccd-cer-
tainly il is not How much less effective,
then, will be a municipal ordinance that
the first Court before which it is tested
must brand as not only unconstitutional,
but infamous The Trustees, who have
had every opportunity and reason for es-
tablishing high license for the liquor bust
ness which is legitimatized by the law, and
who have the warrant of the highest tri-
bunal of the land for such system, have
failed to avail Of q revenue they might
easily reap in that direction, although some
political courage would he needed TO har-
vest it, but now propose. it is said 1--WE trust
that the statement that they favor it is cr-
ror) to tax an infamy and turn the pro-
ceeds to the use of city necessities such as
the public schools, etc. For, state it As
We please any revenue derived from any
source that lessons direct taxation of prop
erty for specific purposes, is taxation in aid
of all other municipal purposes Thus our
taxes are direct and specific for the school
fund. But if the prostitutes are compelled
to contribute to the license fund, forty-five
per cent of which goes TO our general fund
taxation for schools is practically lessened.
AS result the schools will be in part sup
ported by the infamous business of
prostitution. In case the ordinance is
adopted we shall feel il duly to insist
that the High School title shall be appro-
priataly supplemented, and that the Gram
mar schools give open credit in their
nomenclature to the sources Of their sup