The Henson Journals

[125]

Saturday, July 17th, 1909.

Keewatin, Lake of the Woods, Ontario.

The morning was brilliant, and, when I had gone forth from my room, I found myself in presence of a glorious expanse of wood & lake. Dennistoun & his boys bathed joyously in front of the cottage. After breakfast he took me aboard his sailing boat: & we cruized about pleasantly until lunch–time. W. Jones was with us: he is a cheerful spirit, who has seen & suffered much in this country without injury to his temper. He says that his accident, which has reduced him to crutches, & chronic neuritis, has not been without compensation, for whereas he had previously been a martyr to dyspepsia, he is now almost wholly free from that melancholy complaint.

We had a considerable discussion on alcohol; I as usual, being the most thorough–going advocate for its consumption! though we all were personally consumers. A propos of prohibition & similar 'grandmotherly' legislation, it is note–worthy that the anti–cigarette smoking law of the State of Washington has been ruled by the Federal court to be unconstitutional, as implying confiscation of property. It is difficult to perceive the reasoning which can establish in this respect a distinction between cigarettes and alcohol.

[126]

The case against clerical reformers is not less conclusive in the new world than in the old. As might have been expected, the citizens of Winnipeg are confronted with the solemn & difficult problem of prostitution. It would appear that a system of 'segregation' has been growing up in the city, & has recently taken important development. This has aroused the violent & unthinking hostility of all sorts & conditions of clergymen: a noisy agitation has been started, & Winnipeg is to be purged of harlots at a stroke! Two consequences have followed. First, the fact of segregation has been published far & wide, with the result that Winnipeg has become the Mecca of prostitutes from the Rockies to St Lawrence.

Next, the sudden suppression of the brothels has spread harlotry through every nook & corner of the city, with the result that solicitation is rampant, & venereal disease spreading with dramatic rapidity. So great is the evil, that the Chief of Police has made a public statement of the facts, to the confusion & extreme indignation of the reformers both clerical & feminine.

We sailed across to the Boating Club, & watched some races. After dinner we were canoed pleasantly on the lake. Archdeacon Fortin of Winnipeg called to see me.

N.B. Two moose were seen recently on one of the islands here.

---