The morning times., 1896-02-11
WhIch Is la Greatest Need Of EvaneeIizing?

Notwithstanding the earnest appeal of Doctor Tai
mage to begin the work of evangelizing Washington
there is nothing really bad about our city except its
local government and that blotchs spot the Division
30 long that place exists it is impossible to make the
world believe that the National Capital is not reeking
with immortality The presence of 50 dsorderly houses
the center Of the city, where their disreputabe in
mates ply their Infamous calling with the approval of
the Commissioners and under police protection is
argument against public purity that neither be
denied refuted. In addition to their violation of
criminal law, these houses also permitted to sell
liquor day and night Sundays included, without license
contrary to the act regulating the sale of liquor in
the District and if DR.. Talmage and the reform
element will direct their efforts toward retaining the
Commissioners and aboisng the Division there will be
urgent necessity of evangelizing Washington
This reform could be brought about much sooner,
however, if someone would introduce in Con
gress to mpeach the Commissioners. On their induction
to Office, they discharge their duties
ecutve officers and enforce the laws regulating the af
fairs of the District They have right to withhold the
process of law in and enforce in another
to show discrimination by excepting offender from
prosecution. This they have repeatedly done, and IN
continuing to do so by protecting the Division they show
themselves unfit to occupy the high positions with
which they have been honored
The Edmunds act, which has repeatedly been
forced against ignorant and other offenders
the District by authority of the Commissioners express
ly provides that Whoever commits adultery shall be
punished by Imprisonment in the penitentiary not
ceedng three years, and that if unmarried
commit fornication, each of them shall be pun
shed by Imprisonment, not exceeding months, by
fine, not exceeding hundred dollars. The Division
is a standing accusation that the Commissioners are
allowing this be violated every day in the year by
persons, without shame for exemption while
they order it enforced against much less cpabe citizens
although they may be equally guilty i'll the eyes of the
law
The excise law provides THAT any person who shall
engage in the sale of Intoxicating liquors where the sale
thereof is prohibited-as in disordery houses-shall
upon conviction, be fined not less than two hundred and
fifty dollars than eight hundred dollars, be
imprisoned in the District Jail workhose for not less
than two months than six months Also, that
any person aiding abetng the violation Of any of the
provisions of this act shall be guilty of msdemeanor
and shall upon conviction thereof be fined not less than
fifty dollars than hundred dollars, be i'm
prisoned in the District Jail workhouse for not
than month" If the Commissioners, by sanctonng
the sale of liquor without license in the dsordery houses
in the Division, do under the last provision
" aiding and abetng,' then there be aiders or
abettors in the violation of the excise act.
Which needs evangezing the most local Trioc-
racy, the Division the City? Perhaps Doctor Tai
mage the question