The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-04
PRESS CENSORSHIP.
Nashville Christian Advocate,

In this free very tree) country NJ
public censorship of the press would
be tolerated fer day. A free pres,
is one of our bOasted blessings. The
evils Of licentiousness are preferred tC
slavery. While the press is free nc
tyrant could feel easy in his seat. Il
is a significant fact that the first act
of European usurpers and oppressors
is to muzzle or chain the press. They
we'll know that the bayonet is power.
less to uphold that which is condemned
by the unfettered utterances of the
organs of public opinion. The Amer
ican people are properly jealous of
maintaining the freedom of the press.
They regard free press as the palla-
dium of their liberties, and juries usu-
ally err, fiat all, on the side of leniency
toward such as turn liberty into licen-
tiousness by perverting the press to
malicious or immoral ends. This in,
stinct Of our people is a healthy one.
1t is wiser to retain freedom at the
risk Ofits being abused than to paddock
our thoughts. All blessings must be
taken with their attendant perils, this
as we'll as others.
A legitimate censorship of the press,
however, is practicable, even in this
country. Every head of family can
and ought to assume the Office of CEN
sOr. The Indifference of our people
to this matter is amazing. The extent
to which vicious reading is patronized
by virtuous men and women is appall-
ing. What are the facts /?
1t is a fact that some of the vilest
newspapers published have the widest
circulation in the families Of this coun-
try.
1t is fact that you may meet the
worst newspapers in many of the best
families.
1t is a fact that hundreds of thous-
ands Of our youth Of both sexes have
placed before them daily sort of lit
erature which is calculated to teach
them that lust, murder and theft, are
normal conditions of human life, and
that purity, love, and honor, are only
obsolete superstitiOns to be laughed at
by the gay and pitied by the wise.
1t is fact that the advertising col
umns of several of the most popular
city dailies are too grossly abominable
to allow ofspecifc mention Of the feat
pres which give them this bad proem-
inence.
1t is a fact that this literature is
the foundation Of social vir-
tue in this country, loweri1g the NOR
al standar ofthe mature, and infusing
deadly poison into the minds of the
young.
Aud it is fact that good men and
women seem to be asleep, doing moth
ing to arrest this mighty evil, and in
many cases actually lending it their
positive aid by patronizing these pois-
Onous publications.
What we call for is a home censor
ship. Let every mother and father
see to it none but clean newspapers en-.
ter their houses. Let every good citi> /
zen see to it that not a dollar of his /
money goes to build up publications
that pander to depraved tastesand pru-
rient curiosity. The withdrawal by |
the respectable element of society of |
their patronage from all publications
save those whose pages are pure, would |
at once do much to mitigate a great
evil. The purveyors of corrupt read
ing matter would be left to be sup
ported by such as stand on their own
low moral level.
If any reader of this article finds
hat his dirtiest newspapers is the one
ne most loves to read, he is the very
nan for whom we write. He should
axe alarm and reform his reading
habits at once. Demoralized already,
he should lose no tine in seeking
lealtnier mental aliment.
Look to your newspaper and peri
,dical lists, look to your libraries, and
With firm hand cast out from your
lome these serpents that coil in your
'Ook-shelveS or upon your center
ables.
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