Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra23241891roya).pdf/208

 excess; the consumption may be diminished by the enhancement of price, and in this way the indulgence may be made so expensive as to be only attainable beyond the bounds of moderation by those whose means give them a station in society that induces them to be guarded in their conduct for the sake of preserving the respect of those whose eyes are turned upon them; thus, while gaming as practised by the Chinese and cock-fighting by the Malays are absolutely pernicious in every degree in which they come under public cognizance, the use of opium and spirituous liquors may repressed by exacting a heavy tax in the way of License from the venders.

There are many important considerations that stand in the way of enacting laws against prostitution, indeed it would, in a country where concubinage is not forbidden, be difficult to draw a line between the concubine and the common prostitute; it is practicable however in some degree, and highly desirable, that the temptation to profit should not exist to induce the seduction of women into this course of life by others of their own sex; the unfortunate prostitute should be treated with compassion, but every obstacle should be thrown in the way of her service being a source of profit to any one but herself. It should therefore be declared unlawful for any person whatever to share the hire or wages of prostitution or to derive any profit or emolument either directly or indirectly by maintaining or procuring prostitutes, as for any parent or guardian of a female or any other person to ask or receive directly or indirectly any reward for bestowing a female in prostitution, any custom, law or usage of the country in which such female or her parents or her guardians were born notwithstanding, reserving only for a jury to advise what constitutes a legal obligation on the man to support the woman thus bestowed, or in other words a contract of marriage by local usage and what a connection of prostitution; the penalty must here also be modified by circumstances. It is much more criminal to induct a girl into prostitution than to facilitate her pursuit of vice after she has entered upon it as a profession.

It may be necessary to make specific Regulations for the