such houses, as evidenced by the stringent laws
concerning them, is a public policy of the state."--California Reports,
volume 147, page 292.

California and New York have splendid modern laws against white slavery
and the traffic in women in its various forms. Nine states have enacted
new laws against these evils this year. We rejoice in these laws, but
they will never fully accomplish their purpose while the executive
officers of our cities illegally make void the law by proclaiming or
recognizing red light districts, where traders are illegally exempted
from the laws and their penalties.

Since the laws are good and the courts everywhere faithful, for the most
part, to the laws, why are the executive officers of our cities so far
from fulfilling the purpose of the laws as interpreted by the courts?
Many of our officials clearly, from their conduct, consider it "one of
the important duties of government" not to suppress but to protect,
favor and encourage these hideous haunts of vice and crime. Why?

TONS OF GRAFT.

Doubtless tons of graft have been taken from the red light districts,
and doubtless more tons will be taken by perjurers and traitors in
public office. No one knows this better than honest officials--for there
are many such, men who keep their oath of office and conscientiously
guard the great public interests of which they are trustees and not
traitors.

But the evil lies deeper than corrupt officials, and cannot be
eradicated by the most faithful officials only--even if all were such.
Under our form of government officials are the people's agents and must
do what their masters, the sovereign people, require them to do.

The responsibility is therefore the people's. Why do the sovereign
people of our American cities love to have it so? Why do they approve
the red light districts, the white slave market, the traffic in women
and girls? Or disapprove too mildly to abolish them?

THE LIE IN THE PEOPLE'S MINDS.

Lecky, the historian of European morals, lent his great name to a great
delusion, when he attempted in a passage too well known, to garland the
prostitute as the protectress of pure women. Edwin Arnold, the
paganizing English poet, put Lecky's folly into verse, writing a sonnet
in praise of the harlot as the purest of all women--a sort of devil's
compliment to our wives and mothers.

This immoral and repulsive idea has a considerable place among educated
men and among the plain people.