New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-25
LILLE UARK rIDE OF LEE.


TIE DARK EIDE or LIFE.
In q, recent interview the Hon. John Ranes
for whose election 10 the state senate 10 Hi
thc vacancy occasioned by the promotion OF Seh-
otnr SaNton 10 the Office or lieutenaht''o''r'or
Tn, Tribune IA lis readers we'll know, II Ill no
sense responsible expressed the OPINION 'h'' '"'
cyposurcs by the Lcxow Committee had NOT
ACCOMPLISHED any good Admitting the acu'"!
and thoroughncSs of the committee II" says
81 s,iu doubt whether the people Of the state
.,,.m in the end. taken all In all. have made
.,nv substantial gain by the exposure. II has
.s,r,,,J mainly to show Mp the dark side of
life which | DO not think men any p'''er OH
"for knowing" Enlarging upon the theme he
proceeds to say that, while cxiorlions nave pe'h
shown 10 have been prac,sed by officers OF inc
law II really was " no great consequence since
the victims 81 the cxiortions were only those
engaged IN icgIiimafe business The taNpay'
crs IN general" h" says. have not been SHOWN
10 hove been robbed ON the contrary. they VIII
"bc called upon 10 pay the enormous expenses
"of this investigation In the tenderness OF MS
regard for the taxpayers Senator Ralh'S TWINS
the last Governor of the State. Wh" N''"N 'he
biz making an appropriation Tor me expenses
II the Investigation upon the ground that IL III"
4 quite unnecessary burden upon taxpayers.
And although he did not In terms say So Gov
crnor Flower undoubtedly was in accord with
the Senator regarding the evil influence upon me
community ~ exposures ~ THE dark side "f
life"
Hnt II is now generally believed that the ma
iority of the voters ~ this state are not of III"
oninion then held by Governor Flower AMI now
offered bv Senator Raincs The impression pre-
walls that the voters and taxpayers In the action
which they took last November meant To be dis
tinctly understood n approving the results OF
the invest cation. no matter how enormous me
cxpcns. may have been. Not that they nave
any morbid curiosity rs 10 the dark sue vi
ufe" but they had been unplcasantiy conscious
for "A long time that under mat size "f ne
lurl,el not only hidden dangers To me lives ahu
propcrrv of citizens. but incalculabic pefils I'D
the stability Of free institutions and the per
pctuIiy Of n republican form OF government
II seemed To them of the highest importance 10
uncover the dark side ~ lfe' In order that the
danger might be laid bare, the responsibility
traced and measures taken for The protection
of society This view Of II was expressed In the
great uprising Of November. II was as distinct
! and positive as If the vote had been directly
/ taken on that issue and no other, and Senator
John RaInes IS the only person In public or pri-
yatc life 10 intimate any doubt OF 1t or suggest
/ that the enormous expenses or the investiga-
ton have "A feathers weight In the popular
I Judgment Of the results attained. We do not
believe that Governor Flower himself takes
different view Of 1t today. On the contrary we
strongly suspect that II questioned he would
frankly confess that his action last winter In
vctoing the appropriation was mistake that
cost his party thousands OF votes.
We are aware that until within the last year
or two the notion was current not only among
the classes which burrow in vice, and are In con
sequence interested In keeping the public In ig-
norance Of their habits and methods, but among
the easy going and Indifferent. the loose living
and "mcn about town." that the dark side OF
life" should not be uncovered; that II would
have an unwhocsomc effect upon public morals
and no good could come Of II. DIR. Parkhurst
encountered the snccrs Of those who entertained
II at the outset Of his work. But. thanks to his
persistcncy and courage. the notion Is now very
much out Of date lie Is no longer laughed at
even by the men who a year ago were INDUCING
I'm uproarious mcrriment over his quxotc en-
tcrprises against the fashionable vices. II Sen
ator Rancs thinks that the citizens OF this
town have any other view Of the recent ex-
pos,lres than that they have been Of incalcuablc
advantage in cnlightenng the public mind upon
the existence Of gross abuses and unsupported
dangers. or II he thinks that any taxpayer he
crudgcs the cost Of the investigation he would
do well to come down here and devote little
time TO personal inquiry. We venture the pre-
diction that he will not find one taxpayer In a
thousand taking his view Of the case "'rhc
dark side Of lfc' may not be considered worth
looking into by rural legislators except as they
can cnven thereby II visit to The metropolis,
but we can assure them that the citizens and
taxpayers Of this rogue ridden town. TO whom
the dark side Is daily trial and constant men
ace. take Il much more serious view OF II: and
we may say also to Senator Raines that In the
present state Of public opinion on this subject
the man who manifcsts n disposition TO treat
1.-The dark side Of life" In this city Of too
little consequence to be made the subject Of In
vestigation and exposure win come very near