Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-06-21
The Wages of Sin.


The wages OF sin i.~Jc&th." i. a
scrintural trlisln that none who vio-
/ late the laws OF society or morality
can deny, and this saving was never
better exenplitied than in murder OF a
dive" proprietor, which, according to
| the telegraph, occurred IN san Fran
cisco lately. The slayer had formerly
been a policeman in that city. On
account Of his cruel aud inhunan
: treatment % his vie. who was Z weak
and deicn>eleSs little woman, he was
/ compelled to resign. Drifting about.
he succeeded in obtaining employment
Is a . hounccr' il one oi tie numer-
ous underground variety thcatcr,
which abound in that wicked citv.
His duties consisted in buliyragging
and intinidating the vcriant and I'M
sophisticated visitors, who had the
tcmerity to protest against cXorhi-
tant charges for the vile connections
satirically called champagne, which
were generally drank in the company
OF shameless creatures. who travestv
the name of woman. Armed. bv
the courtesy OF the Police Com
missioners of that city, with a spe-
clal policeman's star and revol-
yer, it was easy fer him to enact the
role for which his INSCRIPTIONS en-
ployer engaged him. But, When
thieves fall DAT honest men get their
dues" So it was III this case. The
proprietor and the policeman had a
wordy war overa worthless and depraved
woman, with whose charms they had
both been smitten. The policeman
departed and armed himself with a six
shooter and several glasses of whiskev.
and returned to the scene of the quarrel
| The strife was resumed and the 20
liceman drew out his weapon and fired
at his rival with fatal effect. Society
loses nothing through this tragedy.
and, If the jury and court do their duty
to the people, society will have cause
for congratulation.
The dives of San Francisco and other
cities have long been a prolific nursery
and school OF vice. Winked at-prob.
ably for a considcration-by the mu-
| inequality, they are in the face of all pro-
testation permitted to exist. Young
men and women are easily lured. after
once visiting these low resorts. to be-
come constant habitucs. Once caught
in the whirlpool of vice, swiftly ana
surely they are hurled into the mael
strom OF destruction and speedily lost
to every sense OF dccency and shame.
Certainly society should not permit
such dangerous places to exist. It's
duty is plainly to throw out every
safeguard for the protection of the
weak and innocent, and prevent them
from falling into the snares of the
criminal and vicious. There is need
OF vigorous and decisive action TO-
wards abolishing these dives. They
are menace to the rising generation;
poisonous fountain, the drink of
which produces moral death. And
more than this, their maintainence is
a sheer and insult to virtuous woman
hood. Every doting mother, every
affectionate wife or loving daughter
and sister, should hail with delight the
day that these loathsome dens are
abolished from the land. Like the
Augean stables their noisome smells
are waited far and near, and in their
dark recesses, crawl Shiny snakes of
human depravity and degradation.
New York city, after strenuous ef-
forts to overcome the force of corrup-
ton existing among public officials,
succeeded in closing up its dives.
Why cannot San Francisco and some
OF the Sound cities follow her example?
By doing so, the millennium would be
hastened, and Vice would not then
fiaunt her tawdry garments in the face
OF Virtue. Crime would be lessened
and our youth would grow up with
abiding faith in the virtues of man
and the purity of woman.