The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-06-02

| The Boston police department is under
the ban OF the New England Society for
Moral Reform, and Thursday night Rev.
Dr. Lansing made distinct charges Of
police corruption and collusion with
Keepers OF houses of i'll fame and gainb-
ing dens, which of course have greatly
surprised the police commissioners.
just what the present agitation will
amount to 1t is difficult to tell at the
inception, and whether there is any such
wholesale purchase of police officials as
Is charged is matter that the future
must determine, but it is a notorious
fact that Boston is overrun not only
with houses Of ill-fame, but with wo-
men OF lax morals who infest almost
every section Of the city. Whole streets
are given up to women of this class, and
not a stones throw from police head
quarters are located dozens OF dives of
the worst description.
1t may be that the police department
isignorant of these dens, but no one
with common sense credits such sun
position. Even big business buildings
In the most reputable quarters are not |
free from women Of this class, who
carry on their practices under the
thinnest of DISCUSSES.
No city in the country is SO notorious
as Boston in this respect and nowhere
is this class of women bolder. 1t is
no exaggeration to say that thousands
practice their nefarious business On the
public streets day and night without
molestation, or apparent fear of inter
ference. The revelations made by w.
4. Stead In his famous In Darkest Lon
don contain no passage more hideous
and fearful than could be truthfully
written about Boston.
If the gentlemen having this reform
IN hand only have the good sense to 20
about this matter right and in prac-
ical way they can accomplish much
rood, but charging the police with COR
upton and then not bringing criminal
harges against the ones known to be
'uilty is not the way to do it.
The social evil is one of the greatest !;
wills OF modern civilization, and to )
tamp it out is an impossibility, but GER !
ainly it can be regulated and confined.
md faifrre 30 to 90 VIII result as It has !.
Boston ia gathering together of thous- !,
nds OF the most dissolute women in the
alton, in the debauching of young girls
nd the ruin Of thousands upon thou
lnds Of young men. 80
The Boston police force iss an =
verage police force. neither better =
Or worse than police forces throughout -
le world. There are hundreds Of hon =
able menin it, who do their duty y
'nestly and conscientiously. there are !"
hers who have grown wealthy on the ~
lall pay of police officer; but to bring -
arges against the whole force for the -
isdeeds of a few is unjust. =,
The men who are responsible are few
d comprise the heads of departments. :.
'ere are plenty OF excuses they can -
er but not one that is valid. The !"
Il isthere and they know ii, ifnot Of w. w.
lally, as citizens and men of common ~
lse. Being there it is their duty to ~
ht 1t and If possible stamp it out. 1t 80
he social evil and attendant vices that As
'uli be attacked, not the police force CO
the corruption of few or even OF no
ny officers. Aiming at the police "s'
CO will not remove this dreadful -
'cer which is steadily growing and @ ,,o
ping the life blood of great city. @ @