The treatment of the social evil is one of the most difficult problems
with which society has ever been confronted. Until society is
thoroughly regenerated and the consequent purity, both of manhood and
womanhood, has become a permanent fact, illicit relationship between
man and woman will exist.
The attraction of the sexes is as mighty as it is mysterious. No
legislation will weaken its inherent force.
The man who can come forward with a cure for this great curse is, I
fear, yet to be born.
[Illustration: (People running by heart)]
In common with other vices the so-called "social evil" is as old as
mankind, and it will probably remain as long as vice and sin are
found in the human heart. Its complete eradication will, perhaps,
never be accomplished solely through the process of law, yet it seems
to me that the law and its administrators should not lessen their
efforts to destroy this evil.
In Norway, and in Switzerland, are the conditions most favorable to
virtue and independence, the absence of extreme wealth and poverty.
Both countries are comparatively isolated from the rest of the world.
In Switzerland, as well as Norway, there is an absence of large masses
pent up together in cities, the population being distributed in small
numbers about the country. Sir John Bowring, sent from England to
investigate Swiss society, found that "a drunkard is seldom seen,
and illegitimate children are rare." As a people these Swiss are
a testimonial to the doctrine of equal distribution of wealth and
temperate habits as preventive of immorality.