The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-16

Some Facts About the Morally OF Dr. Park
hursrs Dwelllng Place.

Some Facts About the Morally OF Dr. Park.
hurst's Dwelling Place.
To THE EprroR OF The suN-Sir: The pre-.
dicament OF the man who put his cart before
his horse. and then began to use bad language
because he made no progress whatever IN 60
ing up hill, is exactly duplicated by tho pres
ent alleged dilemma Of the Rev. Dr.. Parkhurst.
who having lived for number OF years in this
town in luxurious comfort. has suddenly come
to tho conclusion that 1t Is a terrible dwelling
place in which Satan runs rampant. with the
local authorities combined to aid him in hur-
rying on tho great city In wild race to de-
struction.
viii you permit me to say. in Dr. Parkhurst's
own words. as one who has for years lived In
the locality in which this clergyman dwells.
that his description OF the "unutterable wick
edness Of the town." and OF the impos. ibility
OF squirting the authorities to abate tits rot"
1fDr. Parkhurst rs man presumably sincere
in his anxiety for the moral improvement Of
the metropolis. has failed to observe It's con-
slant betterment within the last i've years. he
has shut his eyes to moral reformation
that has been apparent to any who
have journeyed through the district by
night and dav aud kept their eyes
open. have made the precinct in which
DIR. Parkhurst dwells a subject Of daily study
for nearly quarter Of a century. and have
seen 1t steadily improve in moral tone and in
the increased security OF its jewellers against
the depredations OF thieves and the crminally
inclined. l challenge DR.. Parkhurst to deny
that the morality OF the Tenderloin district has
not bettered within the last few years. 1t is a
peculiar region. For more than thirty years it
has contained tho nbodes Of the wealthy and
the dwellings OF the scarlet women that DR..
Parkhurst scrutinized recently while SUM
ming with members OF his own congregation.
Dr. Parkhurst says in his sermon that he found
no evidence OF police restriction over these
houses Of iniduity. This statement Is a con-
fession that DR.. Parkhurst doesn't know what
he is talking about and that he has taken no
note OF the howls OF rage from the scarlet
women at the restrictions which a Democratic
Police Captain has imposed upon tho fallen.
Where four years ago they fauntod their faces
at windows and boldly paraded the streets in
search OF foolish victims. they arc now ban
ished from tho windows. and policemen patrol
the streets nightly to arrest those who dsobey
the order to abandon the former offensive hunt
for victims. That they are not swept out OF
tile city entirely Is due to the police theory
that the social evil Is something that must
exist 30 long as OWL passions exist in the
breast OF tho race. and that tho only way to
deal with tho evil is to locaize it and abridee
its harmfulness by Just such restrictions as
have been adopted. There are many men OF
as much moral worth and sincere solictude
for the young OF tho town as DIR. Parkhurst
who support this theory as the one safe
and sensible solution Of tho problem. Is it
possible that it is tho fact that the police
commander OF DR.. Parkhursts district Is
Democrat who prevented him from acQuaint-
ing himself with these restrictions3 He did
not apppar tO ha Disturbed about <bo 1,u.
moral tone OF tho precinct when vice flourlshed
there freely undor Republican dominion. And
yet DIR. Parkhurst says that his pulpit criti-
cisms are non-politicnl.
DR.. Parkhurst may fail to recognize how he
has placed the cart before the horse in seeking
his remedy for evils that he says he found to
exist. Did 1t ever occur to DR.. Parkhurst that
the manly as we'll as tho legal course Of pro-
cedure is to go directly to the Captain in
charge and present his evidence and ask for
prompt action upon it? As II am familiar with
the routine l wish to tell Dr. Parkhurst that
the Captain would take DR. Parkhurst before a
Police Magistrate. get u warrant. and raid the
places complained Of. From the court tho cuse
would go to the District Attorneys office. and
BY him be tried in General Sessions or Special
Sessions. This is the invariable rule. Things
don't work backward in this town. DR.. Park
hurst. am sorry to see. has been so poor a
student OF the local government he so hotly
denounces that he seems really aggrieved that
the legal machinery Is not started wrong end
foremost to oblige him.
II tho legal machinery fails to move. II Dr.
Parkhurst follows the proper course Of start
ing it. he has his remedy The Captain would
at once no placed on trial for neglect Of duty.
and. ii the charges Of neglect were proven.
he would be broken by the Commissioners
President Martin said that the Ca plain would
be tried II such charges were made in an in
terview concerning Dr. Parkhurst's latest
sermon. The District Attorney would be
equally responsible If he failed to act.
The whole truth of the matter is that Dr.
Parkhurst has gone about his work wrong END
foremost. and is bowling because he has blum
dered. The city Is not the Gomorrah that DR..
Parkhurst pictures in any event. 1t is far
better than it was under Republican rule. and
it has been Democrats who brought about the
moral reformation. DR.. Parkhurst knows
this. or ought to know it II he had shown half
the interest in Government publication that
he claims to take. VERITAs