, 1900-01-18
Laramie, Wyo., Jan. II, 1900

Laramie, Wyo., Jan. II, 1900.
Editor Republican.
You having recently given consider
able space in your valuable paper to
sermons and accounts of the efforts OF
certain parties in the direction of what
they assume to believe is the remedy
ing of the social evil, / ask your in
diligence in a few lines from my view
of the matter.
heartily in accord with any movement
which | believe may tend to the better
ment of the morals of our youth, or
which may assist in any way in
blotting from our fair city any stain
upon it. Thus far | believe | agree
with the leaders of the reform move
ment, but it is the means adopted by
them and the extent to which the re-
forms are being carried or on which
We disagree. Whether bawdy houEes are
a necessary evil we will not discuss,
but in this much ! believe most people
will agree with me, that they will eX-
list either openly or secretly. The ques-
ton would then arise, would it not be
better to have them confined to one
district under the surveillance of the
peace officers and paying something
toward the maintenance of the city gov
eminent than to have them scattered
about the city or even driven beyond
the incorporated limits. In the first
event you may say that this could and
should be suppressed, but this is easier
said than done, as has been conclu-
sively shown in some previous cases
in which the officers have ~endeavored
to secure sufficient evidence to prose-
cute but failed. and also in the estab-
lishment OF boarding and lodging
houses"
But let us take it for granted that
these dives will be driven from the
city. Already We are told that the es-
adjustment Of a resort just beyond the
city limits is probable. Would the
the leaders of this moral CD warfare
prefer this condition to the present
system, where the officers are now en-
abled to keep a closer watch on the
doings in these resorts and are within
easy call? Would not such a move
place our youth in an even more dan
gerous position than at present, both
in body and character? Expelling
these places from the city would not
restrain tho boys" from calling" as
of yore, in fact they could be even bold
err about it than at present, as they
would not fear being seen going there.
would be further removed from the Off
GERS and the law and recklessness ana
disorder could therefore run rife. To
verify the truth of these assertions il is
but necessary to recall the days of this
old Sunny Side" just south of the
city. or the more recent occurrences at
a resort" north of town, where the
boys" and girls congregated on the
Sabbath and made the day hideous by
their conduct. | will not elaborate on
or go into the details of these matters
as most people, especially the older
residents, are familiar with their his.
tory. 1t is simply to call attention to
the dangers to body and character by
such resorts thai they are referred to.
To be sure similar dangers attach to
the houses in town, but the chance for
their occurrence is not nearly so great.
I believe the abolition OF this evil IL
an absolute impossibility. 1t is some
thing which always has and always
will exist in some form, and II the par
ties who are leading the present crus-
ade are sincere in their efforts, and j
have no reason to question their mo-
tives, it would, in my Judgment, be far
better for them to exert their efforts in
the direction of regulating the evil and
directing the young in the right direc-
ton, and not forcing the establishment
Of boarding houses" or what is far
worse. out-of-town resorts, thereby re-
the revenue for the support Of