The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-11
PARKHURsT's FIGHT AGAINST VICE.

Between the police department and
conservative church brethren Rev. DIR.
Parkhurst, of New York, is having
what may be properly designated as a
rocky time of it. Even many newspa-
per moralists are ~condemning him, and
u tone of the so-called "non-partisan"
press reports is distinctly unfavorable
to him. Nevertheless, it is not safe to
assume that DR.. Parkhurst is in the
least deserving of censure. When he
began his raid against vice. last spring,
the notoriety which be and his assist
ants suddenly achieved naturally gave
rise to a suspicion that his purpose was
to attract public attention rather than
to work reform, but subsequent
events and the testimony of those
who know him we'll put his
earnestness and the purity of his mo-
tives beyond doubt. Opinions may diff
fer as to the wisdom of his methods in
attempting to cur the enforcement of
the law against the dens of iniquity in
tho metropolis, but there is certainly
something to be said in their favor. 1t
isnot the business of n Mayor, as in Pitts
burg. or of a superintendent of police,
as in New York. to publish moral essays
defining the duty of Christians and ex-
planning why, out of their own tender
sympathy for the fallen, they have al
lowed the law to become a dead letter.
1t is their duty to enforce the law to the
best of their ability ard leave the Chris
tians and the rest to take care of the con-
sequences if there happen to be evil. The
turning out of depraved women and
men from their resorts will not be
the hardship the compassionate officers
deplore If these offenders are taught to
expect such q course and that no bribery
OF policemen or persOnages higher
in office will prevent it. As Mr.. Park
hurst forcibly expresses it, Mr.. ByrDes
Is dealing leniently with sin, which is
quite another matter from dealing lem
iently with sinners. 1t has always been
asserted by officers of the law who are
lax in regulating vicious resorts that
they are ready to do all that is required
of them when proper testimony as to
the character of such resorts is brought
before them. AS reputable members of
the community only know of these dives
by indirect proof, and as comparatively
few are willing to become targets
for abuse by making detectives
of themselves, the official device for lay
ing the blame for reinforcement of
law upon others than themselves al
ways has a measure of success. Now
that DIR. Parkhurst has taken the public
guardians at their word and, together
with other members of his society, has
furnished abundance of evidence of
crime, he is reviled without stint and the
basest of motives attributed to him.
The charges against Gardner, hiA as
sistant spy" as he is called by Byrnes,,
are without doubt based on m%anufact-
ured evidence, recent trials in the
courts of that city having shown that
organized perjury On the part of Tam
many policemen is no thing.
But, with all his earnestness, and how
aver good his cause. Rev. P~arkhurst's
crusade will fail because public opinion
in favor of his reform is not strong
enough to support him. For the same
reason Superintendent Byrnes does not
feel himself compelled to obey the law.
He knows that until the moral senti-
ment of the community concentrates
itself and demands the stern repression
of vice wherever it is found, he and his
force may safely tolerate it and make it
a source of revenue. Meanwhile. other
Presbyterian ministers of New YOrka are
engaged in trying n of their number
for hcresy, and are not concerning
themselves with Parkhurst's fight with
the devil and Superintendent Byrnes.