The evening times., 1900-01-06
Moral Crusades.

According to telegraphic reports from
New York, the new year is TO witness the
beginning OF a war against vice on ihe
lower East Side OF the borough OF Mauhat-
tan. this being one OF the worst moral
plague spots of the metropolis Properly
conducted. a crusade against evil is a high
Iy commendabIe enterprise. and one OF the
regpnerative signs OF the times
The new movement ii New York is said
to be under the direction Of an ethical cul-
ture society. aud is expected to receive the
warm support of certain ministers Of the
gospel. From the plans outlining the pro-
posed campaign for the obliteration Of the
things that ought not to be. an effort is to
be put forward TO secure political coop
Grafton in the work OF reform: and the sig
nificant statement is made that, if poll
ticiaus whose aid is solicited do not re-
spond to the call, certain unpleasant things
involving these obdurate citizens Will
ensue.
There have been many movements for the
elimination Of the evildoers in great cities,
and New York has had few Of them The
NbLll uuaAAt VI lllpldl D0A - uuueulaLlAt
evidence that they we're not entirely eff
cacious. although there is no proof that
fractional salutary results were not p-o-
duced
However lamentable Il may be, il is
nevertheless the fact that wickedness will
always exist in this world in some form or
other And however gratifying it may be
to witness an aroused sentiment prepared
to fight viciousness in all its conspicuous
forms it Is regrettable to realize that sew
eraI OF the crusades Of the past have had
their delcterious results. While evil 10
always to be condemned by every healthy
mind. the unsentimental student OF sOciolO-
gy and its c0-ordinate problems calmly in-
sists. despite an uproar Of Indignation, that
colonized eyzl is much more readily con-
troIIed than scattered vice. Where wicked
ness is known to exist the men employed
10 guard the general population against its
violent manifestations can much more read
ilv apprehend the offender who, because Of
some fragrant violation, must be made an
example Of to uphold the dignity Of the
laws. The police force has mission, or it
would not exist That mission is to curb
the unruly who have little respect for
statutes or persons. Where these blue
coated servants of society are most eff
cient is, in that respect, In the best gov
erned municipality.
The mission Of the ethical professor OF
enthusiast, as well as The good citizens who
are inspired by a high moral sense to
bring about better conditions, would seem
to lie more in the direction of individual
effort than in an assault in force and with
banners flying By individual effort is
meant a crusade GJictIy conducted, with
generous kindness and d sympathetic spirit
of philanthropy as its working capital. A
general attack on the unruly elements OF
the population. even made by those who are
very good, heralded by many press notices
and conducted with Grassland enthusiasm
and colors waving in the wind. is not likely
to accomplish reform. 1t is more likely to
scatter vice than to obliterate It.
1t is seldom that a policeman's club or
q petty court or place Of temporary in
generation aecOmplishes the rescue of a
man or woman from the evil OF their ways.
Nobody was ever beaten or coerced into
being better citizen. Nobody was ever