The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-27
LAW AGAINST HE'LL HOLES MUST
BE ENFORCED.

The time has come when the au-
thorities in Raleigh must enforce the
laws against the hell holes that infest
a portion Of this city. On one hand
you hear the statement that driving
out the scarlet women who run their
hell holes in certain places will spread
the miasma all over the city and make
conditions worse. In other quarters
YOU are told that the laws on the
statute books and the ordinances OF
the city of Raleigh cannot be enforced.
The answer is: Public officials have
no business to discuss or consider the
effect of the enforcement of these
laws.
There's not to reason why
Theirs but to do or die"
They are paid to enforce the laws:
If a public official may refuse to en-
force any law that he deems unwise
or impolitic. then we have legal an
archy. 1t is not for a judicial officer
to say that any law is wrong. 1t is
his business to enforce the law. II
il is a good law. enforcement Will
bring good results. II it is not
good law. enforcement will cause its
repeal. If the man paid to enforce
the law refuses to do his duty, he be-
comes n law-breaker and should be
deposed from his office. AS to the
statement that the laws against these
hell holes cannot be enforced, the an
swer is that there are men who can
enforce them. If the present officials
are willing to admit that they are in
competent, they ought to have the de-
cency to resign and let the city have
courageous officials who will do their
sworn duty. Laws against vice never
can be fully enforced, but that is no
reason why no attempt should be
made to enforce them. Charlotte has
set an example in the enforcement of
the law that we commend to the Of
ficials of Raleigh. They were told that
these laws were unwise and that they
could not be enforced. But courage
Gus recorder, a manly solicitor, an able
city attorney, a brave chief of police,
a sensible mayor, faithful anu intelli-
gent policemen, backed by a righteous
public sentiment showed that the laws
could be enforced. and that better
conditions would follow it's enforce
ment There is only one need in Raj
eigh: for it's public officials to obey the
law and to execute it. If they are un-
willing to do this, in the name of
Good Government and for the protec-
ten of the youth of the city, let them
resign, quit drawing salaries for which
they give no return. and let them be
replaced by men who will at least try
to perform their sworn duties.
I'm this connection and because re-
cent events In Raleigh make 1t peril
nent. we copy the following from the
Western Christian Advocate. Under
the head "The Social Evil" the Advo-
cate says:
I'm our pulpits the evils of strong
drink are freely demonstrated by min
listers. and occasionally the perils OF
gambling are shown. But the hideous
results of sexual debauchery, which
cry i'm the world are rarely alluded &c,
except i'm the most vague and general
way. in sermons however practical.
polite society" has put its taboo on
the subject, and though the curse may
be ravaging the land, it must never be
SO much as mentioned. But mean
while. what shall we do? Shall we
supinely let the hellish work go on
i'm its destruction of innumerable lives
t,,n n Ayrifl orc
of family. social and national life,
while our lips are sealed in criminal
prudery?
Lately a paper by DR.. Howard A.
Kelly, of Baltimore, was printed in the
American Medical Association journal
"a paper that should have provoked
deep thought. 1t was read before the
section on hygiene and sanitary science
of the association at the annual session
of last year 1t reminded the physi-
clans present of the trite fact that the
treatment of sexual immortality has
been the burning questions of the
ages: that the cancerous vice ate the
heart out of the old nations-Egypt,
Assyria Greece. Hape-and that mod
ern Latin nations ree by-words for
profligacy. Where lust has run riot
the national life has fallen a mass OF
corruption, never more to rise.
1t Is estimated that III our own coun-
try alone $50, 900 boys who began life
with the expectation of pure living
and high ideals annually take the fatal
plunge into the moral sewer, losing
what they cannot regain. even by the
most careful living afterwards. On
the part of the other sex there is a
heritage of intolerable shame. disease,
fearfully shortened life. perhaps sui-
ride and a hopeless outlook into the
future"