Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-15
supPREssION OF VICE.

Inst week the public censor OF
morals In France appeared before bis
official superiors and asked for further
restrictive measures against vlcp,
which hs conn lained was being given
encouragement by theRters and public
prints which pandered to sensational
ism. The reply made to NJ. Berenger
was that the police department and
the departments OF Justice and OF the
interior were in full accord with the
censor's efforts to suppress vice, and
the additional regulations he asked
would be made. In Salt Lake City, a
short time ago, public attention was
called to the notorious disregard OF
existing ordinances Rgainst vice,
demand made for enforcement Of the
law, and the city attorney even ap-
peared before the police commission
and pointed out some Of the Infamous
conditions that were allowed to pre-.
vail. The commission passed some
resolutions directed TO . social
reform league, engaged In wordy
dispute between members, and
theA-did nothing in the way
OF removing the cause OF
complaint. The conclusion to be
reached In the two cases cited is I'm.
avoidable. In Paris the controlling
officials favor suppression OF vice and
are ready to make any additional regu-
lations to that end which would be-
effectual in any degree; but In Salt
Lake officials charged with the sup.
preston OF the vices complained OF are
go favorable to tho pio sagation and
increase OF crime that they reuse to
make any reasonable effort 10 eniofcs
regulations now available.
What are the people going 10 do
about II? VIII they submit In silence
TO this degradation OF law aau
OF public morality? There are laws
In existence, but they are not
enforced by those who have sworn
officially to place them In operation.
VIII the people endorse by inaction
this perslsient disregard OF and con-
tempt Tor the law. shown by some
who have accepted delegated power
to do otherwise? Is the example OF
making the law u farce to DO applauded2
In view OF existing conditions. IL
seems to BIO about time the people were
laying minor and formal consider
atoms aside, and preparing to effect q
change which will impress officials
that clean and thorough government
Is wanted insteRd OF that uow given.
or course there is the assertion made
that II the laws against certain
ofienses are enforced, the perpetrators
places, and will dissent mate their un.
lawful practices more generally than
now. But the assertion Is untrue,
as present conditions amply show.
There has been n trial Of
both policies, anu there never has
been time when vice received such
encouragement or found go many
avenues OF dissemination as under
the present policy OF lts brazsn exhi-
bition, BY that policy It il Haunted
eyeryv here, the public 10 being trained
Into familiarity With and condone-
ment OF it. and the seed is being sown
broadcast ior prolific harvest OF those
who yield to temptation. III gardener
were approached with the statement
that. az he could not eradicate all
weeds from his garden, he should try
to gather them Into one part and let
them grow there, he would regard tn
.pyyest,on ,s oominp from one who
wsnted the wseds TO spreat. Sojt il
with orimas against muraIIty. The
more lonlent thu enforcement OF regu.
latlonb against tnsnli the hore tuty