The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-02-20
STATE REGULATION OF VICE

The Republican has received from
Mr.. Theodore Richards a number OF
papers on State Regulation OF Vice,
among them being a report of the
Brussels Conference of 1899. From
one of these papers. report b. Arch
deacon Wilson Of the District Associa-
ton for the Abolition Of State Regula-
ton OF Vice. held at Manchester. Eng
land. Oct. I1th. 1899. We take the fol-
lowing:
That system (State Regulation
was for a time introduced into certain
garrison towns in England. in which
those who were known as 'Queeno
women were practically licensed for
a life OF vice in the supposed interest
Of the health OF profiigate soldiers
and sailors.
II is not a matter Of dispute that
disease steadily increased while these
Acts were in operation. After pro-
longed agitation, in which Mrs. Butler,
Sir James Stansfeld. Mr.. II. j. Wilson.
Prof Stuart, and many others. includ
ing myself. took part, these Acts were
repealed in 1886 IL is not a matter
of dispute that the disease has dimin-
ished nearly 30 per cent since 1856.
and that the English Home Army IS
more moral and more healthy than it
was at any period during those Acts.
THAT system was also introduced
into our Indian Cantonments. 1t is not
disputed that the results were so I'M
favorable that year by year the Army
Sanitary Committee reported against
il. Il was abolished in 1889, but the
practices were iilegitimately carried
on, and still the results grew worse.
In 1897 that repeal was cancelled, and
with slight modification, the principle
of these Acts is now the law in In
dian Cantonments.
Our Association is formed to pro-
test against this wrong. to watch and
make public its results, and to pre-
vent the secret introduction of such
Acts into England, or into the colo
mics over which we have control
I'VE protest because we hold all
such State recognition and State pro-
vision. and State licensing OF prosti-
tutes to be utterly immoral. 1t is an
awful crime against women. and it
breaks down in men the one check Of
conscience and self-restraint. We
pronounce this wrong, and we declare
our conviction that nothing which is
wrong can be in the interest of the
nation. And we declare that expert
ence in other countries, as in our
own. proves that this crime is most
injurious to the nation.
I'VE will not impute unworthy mo-
tives 10 any supporters of the Acts,
but we may fairly say that no one
of them attempts to prove that they
are right in principle. or that they
have been as successful as they hop
ed in practice. The medical world.
concentrating its attention on the
physical disease alone. forgets that the
provocative case is moral not physi-
cal. 1t cannot be put on a level with
smallpox. In word, we protest
against the continentalization of Eng
lish morality.
IF you ask how opinion is going
on, | would reply that in England the
influence of our society has distinctly
affected the army authorities. and
that they have awoke TO the fact that
the soldier needs moral care. and
much is done for him with excellent
effect. Less is done in India, and
what is done is neutralized by the
regulations. On the Continent there
is great hesitation and discomfort
among the Regulationists All coun.
tries are awaking to the failure of the
system. The dawn is approaching.
There are so many strong argu-
ments against state~sgulation of vice
in the papers sent us by Mr.. Richards
that they will be treated at some
length in few days. Prominent med
ical men in France and those in Off
cial control of the regulated vice and
attendant hospitals in that country
testify to the great damage done by
State Regulation and the growing of
the social evil in France. All concur
that regulation in nowise lessons vice
while its attendant evils are wreck
ing the State and the people.