New-York tribune., 1901-03-25

Most Of the members If the Committee Of Fifteen
will go 70 Albany tomorrow 10 attend the hearing
on the report OF the Tenement House Commission
before the cities committees of the legislature The
Fifteen are especially interested in that part Of the
report which recommends legislation that VIII
cause landlords Of tenement houses 70 drive dis
orderly women cut from among their respectanle
tenants.
The committee yesterday sent a letter 10 the Gov
ernor calling his attention 20 the importance OF
such legislation. and Illustrating it by the state
ment that out Of fifty tenement houses taken at
random. in which dsorderly women were known 10
be plying their trade openly. there was found in
each an average Of over twenty-eight children
below the age Of eighteen The letter follows;
At a meeting Of the Committee OF Fifteen, held
March s. 1901, a resolution was unanimously adopted
teen 10 the viee, OF the Tenement House Commis-
sion regard the social eNll IN tenement houses
oiusive Of the act relating to tenement houses in
the city OF New-York. proposed by said commission
j was also decided 10 present to Ycu a statement
az the attitude az the Committee Of Fifteen and
the reasons therefor although the committee is
well aware Of the cordial support Which You are
ALREADY giving TO the proposed legislation OF the
That the present conditions are deplorahle, if not
indeed iutolerable, is a matter OF common knoWI-
fruson and wide extension OF prostitution in the
tenement houses. the houses in which the great
will probably for long time 10 come continue 10
be differences OF opinion as TO the degree IN when
cities bur there can he no two opinions as 10 the
necessity of protecting children Of tender years
from close contact with depravity.
An intimate acquaintance with adult vice should
at least not he forced upon young children by per
mittng such vice penetrate into the very houses
IN which they live The CRY Of parents when they
children in an atmosphere free from the pollution
of the most DEGRADING forms Of moral evil should
\condtion OF affairs mentioned has assumed are
kshcWn by examination OF fifty tenement houses
taken AT random. in which prostitutes were known
20 be plying their trade through open solicitation
age Of Srbfiv over tWentY-eight children below
the age of eighteen years. The staustlcs OF ois
increasing az rapid rate among children in tbs
The laws at present upon our statute book. have
not met the situation. The prostitutes themselves
when apprehended usually have escaped with a
fine. which has only served TO make sreater sub
seouent activity their part the more imTerat tive.
Their arrest and return have made them more
the nature OF their business more obvious both 10
The social evil must he exrirpated from the tene-
ment houses. The chief reason why # has been so
olacult 10 accomplish TINS result hitherto is that
the responsible party. the landlord, has enjoyed
practical immunity from conviction because the
nurGeh OF proving MS guilty knowledge weighs
heavily upon the prosecution. The law holds ex-
Susu me la;laIpIH VINO &lIuiiN cIoses ms eyes SO
pressed he has been able shift his responsibility
by Suhleases and transfers bevond all recognition
The operation Of the present statutes has therefore
tended TO intensity the evil. and has allowed re-
Under, the legislation as proposed by the Tene-
Inent House Commission the difficulties Of the
disappear altogeth her. Prostitution will no longer
he paving risk in tenement houses. The land
lord, no longer secure from successful attack will
exercise such diligence VIII keep his tenement
houses within the statute He will no longer be
able 10 use his agent a shield Of guilt Indeed
an irresponsible tenement house agent will he
mighty improbable. for the landlord will take pre-
cautions 10 save his property harmless from the
operation OF the law. ard the owners diligence
will in each case he transferred to the agent in
charge 9 '-
The committee believes thoroughly that the legis
lauon as proposed by the Tenement House Com
mission is sound and likely he productive Of the
resuit desired. Children OF the tenements will thus
ne given an opportunity he nurtured in narental
care, free from the poisonous influence Of degrad-
ING examples OF vice IN their immediate rroYnoitv
And the complex social problem Of prosfitution II
- be not solved, viii least he appreciaIv sim
ul{fel "ti''~4"bis Slfil-