300 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
if there is), but as a rule the saloonkeepers are compensated for the extra space and furniture by the money paid for drinks by young men attracted by these women. To set up the drinks to "the girls" is a custom; the women calling for "small beer" urge the men "to set 'em up " again and again ; hence they are a source of revenue to the saloon. Their part in the profit is this: it furnishes them a suitable "hang-out," a place where they may secure customers for their inhuman trade, carried on, not in the saloon as a rule, but in their rooms, usually in the immediate vicinity, though occasionally miles away, lest they should be detected.
Again, as all through this study, exceptions must be made. These "wine-rooms" are not always used for illegitimate pur- poses. Where is the respectable young woman, who is but one member of a large family, all living, or rather existing, in a single room which serves as kitchen, dining-room, parlor, and bedroom for the entire family, to receive her young men friends ? Is it strange that she takes advantage of these "wine-rooms " ? Here her father goes ; her mother and brothers are often there. They come here on cold nights to save fuel and light. Here, when a little tot, she used to come for the pitcher of beer ; here, bare- footed and dirty, she would run to hear the music of the German band ; if she were pretty and could sing, many a bright ribbon did she buy with the money earned here. No, they are not all directly evil places, but the temptation is tremendous. How can a child, brought up in such a locality, forced to receive from the saloon even the common necessities and conveniences of life, grow up into noble and beautiful womanhood ?
In about 2 per cent, of these saloons gambling is per- mitted. It is open and unrestricted, whenever sufficient "hush money" is paid. That more do not exist is simply due to the fact that the demand is not great enough for a larger num- ber to thrive and pay the exorbitant "tax." The saloon, too, is in a very small number of cases, many times smaller than is usually believed, a rendezvous for criminals. There are low dives of indescribable filthiness, where vice is open and shame- less.
