Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-16
A Crusade Upon the Evils of Wash
ingtOn's Alleys.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
Judge Kimball of the Police Court is
endeavoring to blot out one of the most
glaring of washington's evils, namely. the
living together of men and women without
being married. He has instructed the po-
lice to arrest every couple that is .f-ls
breaking the law and bring them before
him for prosecution under the Utah law"
The Star of May ID tells of six cases that
were dispose of that date
The question whether the colored race
will be any more moral, or, rather. less
immoral, by the enforcing of this law can
only be answered by saying that the Off
spring of these unions will be legitimatized
and the Christian people of the nation will
have the satisfaction of knowing that they
have done what they could in the way Of
promoting decency among their fellow
men. In many cases brought before the
court. in fact. in most of them, the parties
defendant seem not only willing but anx-
ious to be legally bound to each other, but
the question of the fee for the license ard
for the minister seems one with which
they are unable to cope. They have little
thought Of how the mouths of the little
waits, the outcome of these unions, are to
be filled or wherewith they are to be cloth
ed. They evidently have implicit conf
dence in the Scripture, THE Lord will pro-
vide" And, indeed, He does provide, for
during a residence in this city of nine years
the writer has yet to learn of a death from
starvation; while the climate is such that
for only few weeks in the year is the
question, ''wherewith shall they be cloth
ed?' one of much moment
In The Star of the date already men,
tened it was stated that a minister at the
court refused TO marry two couples who
had been tried and found guilty, but who
expressed a Willingness to conform to the
law by being married then and there, un-
less he could be paid S2-S1 per couple
H.;
was discovered who was willing to do
what his hand found to do, without money
and without price. 1t is with regret that
l have to state that this man is not a min
lister in our own city, but it is a pleasure
to feel that in our sister city-Baitimore-
We can secure the services of the Rev W.
p. Ryder when our own ministers value
theirs too highly. Would it not be well
for the ministers of Washington to have a
meeting and agree that one of their number
should be in attendance upon the Police
Court each day. ready to perform any re-
ligious ceremony that was necessary TAX
ing it turn about. there are ministers
enough in Washington to make The at
tendance of each at the court necessary
about once a month. This estimate is
made, emitting, of course, the minister who
wants his 81 per couple.
Our alleys are filled with persons as truly
heather as any Livingston or Stanley
ever found In Darkest Africa" When we
have just judge who is willing and ak
not the Christian ministers and missionary
societies hold up his hands and assist him
in his good work?
l have one other suggestion to make
Let the police in the city and the mount ed
police in the county make house-to-house
inquiry as to whether help is needed. Have
the unemployed all registered. with the oc-
cupation they prefer set opposite their
names. When a party is found who de-
sres to have his grass cut the police can
turn to the register and find man who
is competent to do this, then send Kim
where he can earn wages. The farmers
are anxious to find men to cultivate their
crops and are willing to pay for this work
from $40 to SIS per month, with board. Of
course, you will meet the objection, I'VE
don't like to go to the country" It Is, of
course, more sociable for them in their
alleys, but make them work at the work
provided for good wages or send them to
the work house as Migrants and compel
them to work for the county
Never until the capital is rid of its alleys
with their euphonious CD names-Louse
alley. Goat alley, &c.-will 1t be what it
should be-a model city.
Close the alleys. enforce the law making
education compulsory. and in a few years
it will be unnecessary for US to call upon
Baltimore for a minister to help us en-
force our "Ctah law NJ. B. NJ.