The sun., 1900-12-14
Two Correspondents Answered.

| Porter and the other commencing his
recent criticism of the use OF their money
! by the rich. Neither letter seems to us TO
| be based on correct understanding OF
the situation.
Our CORES pondent from West Virginia
says very truly that the mere publication
of the methods and practices of the licen-
tiousness and unspeakable moral depravity
hidden away IN all communities. and more
especially in a great town, is an evil in
itselfof possible and probable consequences
so pernicious that it is a remedy about as
bad as the disease. even II IL Is not worse.
II spreads dangerously provocative knowl-
edge. II cannot be denied that such was
! the cons quence Of the Parkhurst dis
closures. They introduced the Park
hurst circus as vile novelty into COM
munities far and wide and stimulated
moral corruption by stimulating vicious
imaginations
The present movement against Hcen-
tiousness. however. was OF different
origin. 1t did not receive its spring from
clerical detectives who melted forbidden
and unspeakable performances by paying
for them, as. of course may be done al
ways in any large community. That
human depravity at all times in history
could be hired by money TO 60 TO the lowest
depths TO which 1t can possibly descend
had been demonstrated sufficiently before
PARKHURsT set out to make his nocturnal
explorations. He found nothing which is
not as old as the Bible, nothing of which
he could not have hired the display in any
cnpuiIaralla ci, Of ~, RI tapInY, ns Ia
now or as II has been from the beginning.
The movement now in progress was
started simply because, largely as a con-
sequence Of PARKHuRsr's foul methods.
priests and ministers had found that licen-
tious traffic had been carried into crowded
districts Of the town inhabited by respect
able people in poorer circumstances and
that Its moral corruption was encouraged
by systematic protection afforded by the
police. under Tammany domination. No
exposure OF vile details was made. Only
the general condition was made known,
in order that all decent citizens might be
aroused to proceed politically against the
cause OF the offence to civilization. 1t
was not a Parkhurst circus" II IL
serious, not sensational, and il has not
been started and it will not be pursued
In a way to stimulate vicious imaginations
in West Virginia or anywhere else; for our
village friend Of that State il wholly right
in his suggestions as to the danger Of raking
up the filth Of social sewers and spreading
it abroad.
Now, as to the other correspondent,
Mr. EDWARD A. CUTHBERT Of New York
Bishop PoTTER's remarks at New Haven
on wealth, he thinks. ought to induce rich
people to decrease their vast unnecessary
expenditure Of money for numerous things
which they can easily exist without" for
instance, at the theatres and the public
restaurants. Undoubtedly the expendi-
ture of the rich is chiefly for things not
necessary for existence, but so also is il
with those not rich, even with the poorest
II we all, rich and poor, spent only enough
to keep body and soul together in health
and strength, lived as the inmates of prisons
live for example. on coarse though nutr-
tious rations, and eschewed every luxury
and ornament of attire and surroundings,
every Indulgence and every grace OF life,
the smallest wage obtained would be enough
for anybody But what would be the
the little necessary TO support existence
would be unobtainable. except by the
strongest and fiercest OF the savages We
should become.
Ii is the increasing demands of civiliza-
tion for self-gratifcation which keep It
alive. Luxuries become necessities and
their enjoyment breeds new tastes and
appetites craving qualification, 30 that
multitudes Of industries constantly in
crcaSng are set in motion to supply them.
That Is civilization. The army OF industry
necessary to supply the bare necessities
of existence would be small. Look into
the shops and see how small a part Of the
articles are things which we could not easily
do without but what would become Of the
millions of men and women who make
their living in manufacturing the super
fluites if We diminished our vast unneces-
sary expenditure for them"
Now. instead of the rich diminishing
their expenditures they ought 10 increase
them. One of the greatest evils of hard
times and one of the causes most con-
tribUting 10 increase their hardships ia
that so many people who can AFFORD to
continue their scale of expenditure during
such period. or even 10 increase it. take
the advice of Mr.. CUTHBERT and cut down
their expenditures unnecessarily. 1hn Is
the time when labor is most in need OF en-
ploymcnt and the best way of distributing
money always is in giving II in payment
for work and not as charity. Relatively the
number of people willing To accept charity
is few and the number willing and eager to
work includes the great mass of every
community. Men who set in motion great
enterprises giving employment to many |
thousands of their fellows are the public !
benefactors. They are the rich who rec |
ognizc the poorer class of people and better |
their conditions Of life" The people who |
patronlze theatres and restaurants make "A |
distribution of their money which bencfits |
n great body Of workers, and in the manu-, |
facture Of the fine clothes they wear a mother
great body are employed. Take away this |
luxurious demand and where would the |
trade of New York be?
MIR. CUTHBRRT complains that "A
wealthy and fashionably attired gentle