New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-17
BISHOP TO THE MAYOR.
ASKS VAN WICK TO END THE
CTTTS DISGRACE
SAYS THE STATE OF THINGS CRIES TO
GOD FOR VENGEANCE AND TO YOU
AND Me FOR REDRESS"

swered it. and also sent letters OF instruction
to the Police Commissioners and to District At
torney Asa Bird Gardiner.
Bishop Potter's letter is follows:
Diocesan House. Lafayette Pace.
November Il, 1900.
Inc Hon Robert A. Van Wyck Mayor OF the
City Of New York.
Sir: At No 130 Stanton-st.. in this city.
there is a work. for the people resident in that
netghborhood. of missionary, educational and
social character, for which for some years
have been directly and personally espOnsih.e.
llS lnHuence Tor good order and good morals,
to describe it In no other way. has been consd-
cradle. has been recognized. 1 think 1 may ven
ture TO say. by those who know it as Of rea'
and enduring value. 1t is not only centre for
the ministraIiOns Of religion, but also for train
ing in various arts and handicrafts, for a free
library. gymnasium. cooking. sewing and other
schools. etc, etc, and such for those whose
ures and privileges few il has been
recognized as an important factor in promoting
the virtue and good order of the communities to
which 1t ministers.
In view OF these facts it would seem that II
has a valid claim upon the sympathy. co-OpSra-
ton ana at IeaSt courteous CONSIDERATION CT
those who officially represent our ciry govern
ment and the guardianship of deCency and &c cd
morals. 1 urge here no other claim for IL and
Deg to say that am not now addressing YOU
because there has been in that which I now de-
sire TO bring to your notice a vulgar and brutal
absence OF these in connection with one who
happens to have been my own representative
The personal element, far as he is or / am
concerned. is of the very smallest consequence.
But the thing that is of consequence, sir, Is
that when n minister of religion and a resi-
In a particular nei< bOrhOod, whose
calling and character, experience and truth
fuIness all alike widely md abundantly
recognized. goes to the headquarters of the
police in his district to appeal to them for
the protection of the young. the innocent and
the defenceless against the IeprOus harpIes
who hired runners and
the lowest and Infamous dens of vice,
he Is met not only with contempt and de-
rision, but with the eOnrsest insult and OBJ
IOquy.
You will say that these are strong words I
hold myself ready at any time submit the
facts that substantiate them. The statement now
in my possession of two cIergymen of the high
est character contains the testimony Of two
men, given without eXaggeration, with the most
painstaking reserve and with absolute truthful
ness In substance, IL is briefly this: That when
one Of them complained to a police captain OF
condition of things in his immediate neigh
oorhood whose disgusting lntamy is matter OF
common notoriety, condition of things easily
verified by any intelligent citizen who passes
| through the streets in which 1t exists. he was
| told that he lied, and that when, disheartened
by such an experience, he carried his complaint
| to higher authority in the police force he
met with insolent derision.
| L affirm that such N virtual safeguarding
| of vice In the city of New-HOrk is burning
shame any decent and civilized cOmmun-
Ity and an fntOIerabIe outrage upon those
whom Ii especially and pre-eminentIy
Germs.
1 am not. beg to say, unmindful of the fact
| that the existence OF vice in great city is
practically an inevitable condition of the life
| of such community. I am not demanding that
vice shall be stamped OUT by the police or
any other civil authority That Is a task which
| would demand for its achievement race of
| angels and not of men. But / approach you.
! sir protest with all my power against
| condition of things in which vice is not only
| tolerated. but shielded and encouraged by those
whose sworn duty it is TO repress and discourage
| IT, and in the name of unsullied youth and in
nOcence of young girls and their mothers who.
| though living under conditions often OF prtva-
tion and the hard struggle for a livelihood have
in them every instinct of virtue and purity that
the ornaments of any SO-Called gentlewome1
in the land. l know those of whom I speak,
their homes and their lives. their toll and their
aspirations Their sensihility to insult OF out
rage is as keen as theirs who are in your house
hold or mine. and. before God and in the face
Of the citizens Of New-York 1 protest. as my
people have charged me to DO. against the habit
ua insult. the persistent menace, the unutter
ably defiling contacts 10 which day by day. be-
cause OF the base completely OF the police OF
NewYork with the lowest forms OF vice and
crime, they subjected
And In the name of these little ones, these
weak and defenceIess ones. Christian and
Hebrew alike, of many races and tongues,
but of homes I'm which God is feared and
His law reverenced and virtue and deceney
honored and exempIified. I call upon you,
sir. TO save these people who are In n very
real way committed to your charge from n
living hell, dehlinG. deadly, damning, to
which the criminal supineness of the con-
stituted authorities. set for the defence OF
decency and good order, threatens to doom
them.
1 have no methods to suggest no individuals
to single out for especial rebuke and chastise-
ment These are for YOU to determine and deal
with The situation which COnfrOnts in this
metropolis of America Is one Of common and
open notoriaty. and of such a nature as may
we'll make byword and Kissing among tho
a;ions of the world
For nowhere else earth, I verify be-
Iieve-certnInIy not any civilized al
Christian communicates there exist such n
situation deiiIes and dishOnOrs New-YOrk
/ --FoE hr,af
is least some persistent repression of Its
external manifestations and the agents OF
the law not. nS here. widely believed to-
| be fatteninE upon the fruits OF Its most
IOnth some and unnanln BILE FORMS
| I come 10 YOU SIR with this protest in ac-
| cordance with the instructions lately laid upon
me by the Convention Of the Episcopal Church
| of the Diocese OF New York. The events which
| provoked its action occurred some months ego
| There has been no haste on my part or theirs
| in behalf of whom 1 speak in reaching Honclu-
sions as to the situation 10 which 1 refer.
| Months have passed since the incidents occurred
to which I have alluded in this communication
But in all these months the condition of things
in whole neighbour oods has not improved. but
rather grown worse. Vice not only haUnts in
the most open and ribaId forms. but hardwork-
ing fathers and mothers find 1t harder than
ever to-day TO defend their households from a
rapacious RIGHTEOUSNESS which stops at no out
rage and spares no tenderest victim
Such a state of things cries to God for
vengeance. and calls no less loudly to you
and me for redress
This. sir. is my I leave it confidently
in your hands. Confidently I say because I
cannot believe that you will fail to recognize IN
II great duty. duty which you will set your
SELF to discharge, no matter how great the cost
/ do not forget what has come to be too often
expected IN our day from those who hold once
when those who are their partisan associates
are involved in wrongdOing. But l cannot be-
leve that in 81 n a case this YOU wifi hes-
tate as TO your Cuty, no matter where the doing
Of it may compel you to strike. Great place
such as yours demands great courage ana Fraat
sacrifice. Great crises such as that which has