The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-12-26
THE "RED-LIGHT" EVIL.

The Methodist clergy at a meeting
held at the First church recently,
adopted the following resolution:
1T is the sense of the Duluth Meth.
odist Ministerial association that they
favor the abolition of the red light
district and the strict enforcement of
the laws"
We presume every right thinking
man and woman in Duluth will agree
with the preachers in deploring the
existence of the evil at which the
resolution aims.
But the same evil was in the world
before these preachers came into it,
and it will be in the world after they
go out of 1t, unless something more
effective than passing resolutions is
done to eradicate its cause.
We may as we'll exercise a little
common sense about this thing.
Society has not yet reached the point
in the evolution of Christian civiliza'
tion when the evil referred to will no
longer have occasion to exist.
Recognizing that fact as true, for
it is true, all that society can do is
to place it under such restrictions and
regulations as will confine it's activi.
ties within the smallest possible limit
The law in theory prohibits it al
together. Human experience, how;
ever, teaches that it has never yet
been wholly suppressed, all laws to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
We have it here in Duluth. They
have it in all cities. Thus far we
have restricted it to a certain terri
tory, and every month we have sum
marily punished the guilty ones fol-
its existence even within that terri
tory. What more do the preachers
want? Do they want to- drive it out
of it's ordinary haunts into extraordi
nary ones, and honey comb our com
munity with questionable resorts?
"The abolition of the red light dis
trlct and the strict enforcement OF
the laws is mere platitudinal com
b1nation of two very different propo
sitions. A mischievous fallacy turks
in the first half of the expression, and
an unwarranted innuendo in the sec
ond half.
The fallacy is that the district" is
the "evil'' when the fact is that the
district so far as it affects the
"evip' is limitation upon it.
The innuendo is that laws pertain
ing to the "evil' are not strictly en-
forced in Duluth. Now, every one
conversant with conditions in other
cities, knows that there is not a city
OF It's size in this nation, that has g
better regulated or more efficient
police force than Duluth, and that in
no city has there been a nearer an
proach to controlling an "evil' that
has haunted society ever since the
days of Methuselah and in all proba
bility will continue to do so until the
dawn of the millennium.
BY all means let the authorities but
all possible limitations and "aboli
tions' upon the evil. Confine it with
III the smallest compass. If the pres
ent district" is needed for railroad
purposes, let the authorities protect
society by locating the 'evil" some
where else, and not suffer it to dis
tribute itself promiscuously through
out the city, as would be the case
we're the authorities to follow the
advice of certain over Jealous per
sons, we'll meaning enough, but lack
Ing a practical, comprehensive erasr
Of civic affairs.
Since writing the above we lear1
that the hypocritical agitation inaue
urated by the railroads has prevailed
and the present location of the "ref
Light evil' has been ordered closed
by the city council.
The roads did not relish the idea O
having property condemned" 10,
railroad purposes at the present rat,
OF rental values in the district, henc,
the crusade which has resulted il
ordering the district closed and ref1uc
Ing values to minimum.
Very good for the railroads, but til,
"evir' is not exterminated, and ia i
going to be permitted to spread itsel
Rll over the city?