El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-12
RElIovAL o. REDLIGHT.

REMOVAL OF REDLIGHT.
Editor FL Paso Herald:
In your editorial Of September 9 on
the redlight reservation, you say. If
there is any good reason why the red
light reservation should not be moved
away from the heart Of the city, the
people are entitled to know the reason"
Permit me 20 supplement that by say
ing il there is any good reason WY
the redlight reservation should De
reestablished anywhere. the people are
entitled TO know the reason
Your argument, based upon the ad-
mitted financial evil 10 adjacent prop
erLy and moral evil to the community
coutemplates only the removal OF the
reservation from one point 10 another
point I'm the city. II the reservation IS
Injurious to adjacent property, how can
a proposal TO injure other property now
free Of direct contact with the reserFa-
ton be justified.
II the reservation can be removed by
court proceedings based upon alleged
injury 10 adjacent property, how can II
be removed, located and maintained
elsewhere2
You say. ct is not necessary to dis
cuss al the moment the broad question
OF the continued existence OF any red
light district at all The first step
toward better conditions, whatever may
ultimately be done, would be TO re
move the district out Of the heart OF
the CITY" 1 agree that the nrSr step
toward better conditions would be 10
remove the district out Of the heart OF
the city. but 1 dissent from the PROPOSE
ton that IL is not necessary to consider
the broad question Of the existence OF
the redlieht district I believe that the
district should be moved and be 10
Gated nOwhere-in short, that II should
. be absolutely abolished immediately
Mere change OF location would result
. o. tn Of
Z Moreover who has the right or author
ity 20 publicly recognize this eFiI IN
stitution by removing II from one part
/ OF the city and establishing II IN an
{ other2 Is il not prohibited by the laws
OF the state OF TeNas2 Can this COM
muuity officially and legally recognize
and perpetuate this unlawful thingt In
officially touching IL, can this community
I legally do anything except 10 abolish
D fr2 VIII any respectable man IN ~
/ PasO agree that the reservation shall
/ be moved and reesta blished adjacent "a
/ his home or property Is there any
. equity I'm property owners now being IN
2 iured by il demanding or agreeing that
l 10 shall lie moved TO some place where
! il viii likewise injure othersZ Is not
/ the clean. wholesome. sensible solution
J OF this unlawful and immoral institution
[ simple abolition OF the reservation
There is Just one argument advanced
I In favor OF the reservation VIZ Inai
. il prevents the spread of the social evil
2 throughout the community Cntor-
/ tunately for that argument, everyone
D who knows anything about the Situa-
/ ton fin FL pCso or any other city where
/ a reservation is publicly maintained
T knows that the reservation does not
. confne the evil within its limits a
/ dozen representative vice commissions
OF as many leading cities Of the United
/ states have uniformly discovered that
. and as uniformly have recommended the
Z abolition Of the segregated district
/ Notwithstanding as rule the ma
Z j0rity Of these commissions went into
the Investigation definitely biased IT
/ favor OF the segregated district As
/ result Of such an investigation carried
on during the past three years. the
/ city Of Chicago has recently abolished
I its segregated districts. Other cite!
have done so and others are following.
10 the people of Fl PasO want u
continue In partnership with the red
light district by removing il from ont
I location to another and continue off
I cialIv to accept revenue from it, II
/ many respects we justly pride ourselves
uuon being abreast OF advancing civil
fzation- Shall we lag behind in tn,
matter Of the social evil until we be
& come conspicuous by publicly fosterine
ito II the public officials of the city
and county will enforce the law. thu
reservation viii be closed in "a hours
j. Il Campbell
MARKET PLACE FOR Ell PAsO.