Evening journal., 1902-02-04
rHE MoKK ENnoRsEn

ing OF their association yesterday
adopted the following:
In view of the fact that the Law
and Order Society and the Citizens
League have entered ON "a cam
paign against immortality, and for
the suppression Of vice, and have al
ready begun the good work in the
recent successful raid against dis
orderly houses and illicitliquor sell
ing, therefore we, the Methodist
Ministers Association. do heartily
and unanimously endorse the ac-
ton of the societies above-mention-
ed, and pledge them our constant
and earnest cooperation I'M their
good work.
This has been handed us with the re-
quest that we comment ON It, and in
view OF the Importance of the matter
we cheerfully comply. The Methodist
clergymen represent numerous and
large congregations in This city, and,
doubtless, they speak the sentiments Of
the mass Of people composing their
focks. Therefore, it will not do to
treat their expression with scant cour-
tesy. II they are wrong and are en-
couraging organizations which are in
imical TO the best interests of society
then there must be no hesitancy in
saying So But the fact THAT the rep
resentatives OF such a great body have
expressed a unanimous and unequiyocal
opinion. must cause adverse criticism
TO pause and examine its grounds.
From the time OF the raids a few days
ago, out Of which this controversy has
grown. The Evening Journal has taken
a stand that needs no explanation. We
have never been certain that the raids
were made in the best possible man
ner, but that is matter of minor inn
portance. It has been said by several
papers that the wholesale arrests and
the bringing of these people into court
in fiocks was publication of that
which should have been kept from the
public eye, and that It contributed
delectable bits OF scandal to
the prurient minded There are flaws in
the argument Was IL not better TO do
it in a day and have IL over than to
arrest the offenders singly and have it
continue for year? The former will
90 far in breaking up the dens; the lat
ter wouldmakeno appreciable effect. AS
a matter of fact. does not this excuse
mean THAT no arrests were ever to have
been made? Then much has been made
OF the fact that all this was aired in
court Well. where else could it be
aired? There is no other competent
jurisdiction. And is il any worse to
air il in court than TO allow II to grow
and tester when hidden?
We think that those persons who
have professed TO believe that the peo-
pie generally have been shocked and
wwonged by this public exposure. really
care less about the moral health OF the
public than we are led to suppose-cer-
tainly not as mudh as the clergymen,
whose opinion We quote. On the other
hand, It has taken just such a whole
sale raid to bring TO the attention ci
the people the extent Of the vice that
has been going on under the eyes of the
police. Unquestionably, many WINGED
because the revelation was coming
near home.
II these dens cannot be broken up
then We have a law on our statute books
that needs repeating We take it that
neither individuals nor newspapers de-
sire law which can only be evaded
will they, then. come out sQuarely ant
advocate its repeal? There is another
feature about this matter; granting
that it cannot be eradicated. we mus
all agree that 1t must be kept at mini
mum. Is it likely to be kept ther
when there is a policy Of making NJ
arrests save on complaint? No; tina
policy is an advertisement OF proteC
tion, and keeps theviceat its maximum
Some affect 10 believe that segregs
tion. and not determination, is the rem
edy. But suppose a whole block /
the heart or The city is taken, does ths
lessen the evil? When we consider q
awful possibilities OF moral taint !.
ing in these dens. there seems nothir
70 do but 10 enforce the law to the full
est extent possible.
To show the extent to which defen
ers and apologists of these disreputab
classes will 80, the Wilmington Sun.
paper published in the interests OF ,
that Is disreDutable, virtually in
mates that the Law and Order peoI
are responsible for the death Of an
mate Of one OF these dens. who col
mitted suicide the day after the IA
So we have the doctrine that one W
Is violating the law must not be N