The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-06
TO PURIFY CHICAGO.
Civic Federation to Take Up the
Social Evil.
Will Make an Effort to Drive
Out Vice.
ATTACK VILE BOOKS.
"a Drinking Man Can't be
Chaste" Says One.
Chicago is a Sunday School
Compared With London.

CHICAGO. Sept, 6-The Civic Fedora
tion is preparing for an active crusade
against the social evil in Chicago.
A large number OF practical workers
for social purity and other persons inter-
ested in the cause gathered in the par
lors of the Palmer house and discussed
the questions "What Is Being Done and
What More Should Be Done to Lessen
the Social Evil in This City?"
Catherine Waugh McCulioch, chair
man of the sub committee having the
matter in charge, opened the meeting
with brief address.
Justice Underwood, who sits as police
magistrate all the Harrison street police
station, was then called upon to give his
views of the situation.
''Some women are SO stepped in crime
that the police have orders to bring them
in every time they are seen on the street.
In most cases believe that they have
been brought to this pass through shift
lessness, ignorance and unwillingness to
work. Very many of them are so un-
learned that they cannot write their own
names and are degraded merely because
it is the easiest way to make d living.
"The legislation on the SUBJECT is suf-
ticient, but the laws are not enforced as
they should bs. There are two or three
things that think would assist in les
sening the evil.
First, the magistrate should be given
power to commit persons just starting
out in life of shame to some refuge
where they would be given a chance TO
reform. Now we can only send them to
the bridewell or to the Jail.
p Second, all women of doubtful char
acter should be kept off the streets and
prevented from soliciting"
Mrs. Isabella w. Lake prescribed three
remedies that she thought could be ap-
piled with advantage at once and with
comparatively small difficulty.
First" she said. 81 would do away
with immoral theatrical entertain ments.
Again, law is necessary forbidding the
intermarriage of certain classes of per-
sons"
Bishop Fallows said he did not believe
the statement that there were 10000
fallen women in Chicago.
''A police otficsr who recently returned
from visit to London" he said, told
me that Chicago was a Sunday school
compared with London"
In closing he protested forcibly
against the vile books and publications
that were on sale so promiscuously
throughout the city, and he thought that
one of the first efforts made should be to
stop their sale.
Mary E. Holmes described in a crisp.
forcible speech the york being carried
on by the Young Women Christian as
sociation in providing women watchers
in the railroad stations whose duty it is
to protect innocent, ignorant girls who
may come in from the country. She was
of the opinion that ignorance was largely
the cause of the fall of girls"
Father Cox laid the greatest RESPONSE
! bility for the prevalence of the evil on
the saloons.
"a drinking man." he said, "cannot be
a chaSte man."
Now as to the plan of work. The
average career of these womens is only
| four years. They will die off soon. Now
let US go to work and save those who are
coming up and prevent them from being
degraded. Let US keep the home circle
pure. We can prevent much better thar
we can cure"
Mrs. Corinne Brown formerly presi
! dent of the Woman's alliance. though
the suggestion to license the evil wa
an admission that degradation was ne
cessary, and she did not believe in it
| Charlotte Perkins Stetson said:
"If this evil is a necessity make
! honorable by surrounding it with the
protection of the law. If it is not, pu
an end to it. There are great numbe
of homeless young men in the city
| They need women's society and womer
need mems. If they visit married womer
the husbands object, and if they visit un
married women of their own class th'
fathers and brothers at once wish t
| know their intentions. They lack tn,
money to marry, aud SO they seek thu
society of fallen women. Now w
women have duty to perform in bring
ing about change in this condition O
things"