The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-01-20
MORAL WAVE.

MORAL WAVE.
Municipal Judge Hogue of Portland
has discovered an old ordinance which
prohibits the employment of women
in saloons. or allows them in any such
place The ordinance also provides
that no license shall be issued to a
saloon in which they are employed.
Councilman Albee introduced an ordi-
nance revoking the licenses of 90 of
these combination houses, most all of
which are situated in the red light"
district The ordinance was passed
and the saloons will have to close up.
A number of others are To be closed
as soon as they can be reached. There
seems to be a determined effort on the
part of the moral element of Portland
to purify that city so that ii will make
a presentable appearance for the Lewis
and Clark fair. For years Portland has
been reeking in immoral filth. No at
tention has been paid to any of the
city. Gamblers and proprietors of dis
reputable houses have run the politics
of the city. Thousands of crimes have
been committed and nine-tenths of all
the criminals have eseaped punish
ment. 1t mas been impossible for the
circuit courts to try all the appeal
cases and they have been dismissed for
want of prosecution.
Hundreds of men have gone to Port
land, fallen in with the army of cap
pers and taken to the red light district,
introduced into society, been rolled and
robbed, and never reported it to the
police. These vile dens of iniquity do
not make their money by legitimate
means, or in the saloon business, but
by laying for young men and greenies
from the country, and rob them. In this
way hundreds Of prostitutes. gamblers. |
boosters and steerers are supported, |
and the police have come in for a part |
of the swag. These places have been |
the rendezvous Of criminals and are re-
sponsible for the many hold-ups in
that city. In fact. Portland is the head
quarters for all the thieves on the
North Pacific coast and they are mar
bored by the proprietors of these vile
dens in the north end. They are to be
driven out of Portland and many will
come to Astoria, as 1t is the only wide
open town in the state outside of Port
land.
Astoria has several Of these disre-
putable joints and they are allowed to
exist on the plea that the city needs
the money. But Astoria differs from
Portland. Instead of this class Of ho-
bos, thieves and hold-up artists receiv-
ing the protection of the police. they
are under close surveillance all the {
time. consequently few crimes are {
committed in Astoria, but this is no s
excuse for tOlerating dives. A large ]
number of people coming to Astoria L
are importuned by girls" to buy
drinks become intoxicated and when s
they wake up in the morning they find
they have been robbed of every cent.
This is the way these girls make liv-
ing and support worthless man. These
men seldom make any complaint to the
police for fear Of exposure.
Public sentiment is changing in re- (
gard to tolerating vice and disreput-
able places, and the time is not far dis
tant when the lower class of saloons {
will be refused a license. At the pres
ent time large majority of the peo-
pie of Astoria are inclined to favor this {
class of people because many of them I
derive some revenue from them. II !
they are allowed to exist and ply their I