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Show s I THE AGITATION. j ' j The town continues to be agitated over j the arrests under the city ordinance rela-: rela-: tive to lewd conduct. If the ordinance is i valid and can be enforced, we say let it be i enforced.' If it is sought to enforce this J ordinance as a set-off to the enforcement j of the Edmunds law, and in a spirit of revenge and recrimination, we say shame I upon such a spirit. This ordinance should be enforced in the interest of law and j good order the same as any other law ; j and if in its enforcement one class of citizens are involved more than another, that makes no difference. The law has no favor for one class more than for another, and me omcers or the law should enforce all laws impartially. This is as much the duty of city, officials as of Federal officials, and a city ordinance should be vindicated and enforced as much as a Congressional law. The thing that we condemn in the city -authorities is that they have permitted this ordinance under which they are now acting to remain a dead letter for so long. It is for this they deserve severe censure. The city authorities author-ities deserve severe condemnation for their laches in "another matter kindred j iioiuese prosecutions. We refer to the matter of houses of ill fame. The city j does not license these places, but it does j use them as a source of revenue, and this j is wrong. Every so often the keepers and inmates of these places are cited before the jxriice magistrate, and fined in such sums as will not admit of an appeal to the District Court. This is all well enough, and we have no fault to find on this account. But when these fines are imposed and paid, these same keepers and inmates are practically. assured as-sured that they will not be molested for another- rery considerable period, and th.ey are permitted to carry on their immoral im-moral business unmolested. Now, if these places of ill repute are in violation of law and good order, and detrimental to public morals, and; they certainly are, why do not the citv authorities : the ordinances against them that their J existence shall be precarious, if not impossible ? Why should j these ordinances only be enforced ! periodically and not continuously ? t The city authorities dare not assume the ! responsibility of licensing these places, j for fear of public indignation, we pre-j pre-j same, yet practically and to all intents jand purposes, they do license them. It ; is the clear duty of the city authorities to j either suppress such places or repeal the ; ordinances against them, for now they i are encouraged by the occasional enforce-! enforce-! ment of the ordinances, and then only for the purposes of revenue. If people are agitated and alarmed over the enforcement of a city ordinance, let them be agitated and alarmed. If they have violated no ordinance they certainly have nothing to fear. But we do ask, and ask as a right, that the city enforce these ordinances continually, and not spasmodically; and that they enforce them solely in the interest of law and order, and not for some ulterior purpose ! or for the mere purpose of ah expose of t non-Mormons. j |