Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-06-13
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Morality cannot be long sustained
on the letalone-and crafty everybody
theory. We will not say that the
world belongs to the saints, and that
they have commission to rule IT,
But we respond to as much of that
opinion as is involved in the PROPOSE
tion that the moralties and decencies
are sovereign things, and that, in their
name and by their authority, decen,
people ought to insist on ruling society
The streets must be made safe for boys
and young women. Could the people
know the full extent Of this evil, it is
not out OF the possibilities that here,
in democratic America, they would
propose some kind of censorship to
stop it.
The above extract from an Amer
ican paper, was sent us recently by a
subscriber who fully endorses the stand
taken by the Press in upholding public
and private morality and in depreoating
its absence. The quotation is admir-
ably to the point.
Equally pertinent to at least one
phase of Honolulan morals are the
following extracts also sent US:
Among the worst temptations of
the streets are the things printed in
pictures or in type, in gaudy colors or
in black and white, to catch the eye.
"The capacity of the illustrated
paper for good is great and we have
not been slow to discover it. The
easiest, quickest and most agreeable
way of getting sermon in morals,
lecture in reform, or speech in poll
tics, is to take it in moment in a look
at some one Of the potent illustrated
journals that are made by men capable
of doing such things.
"But there are capacities and posi-
blities in journalistic illustration which
cannot be learned at a well-kept news
stand of the first class Boys and men
much on the streets know where to
find them better than they know how
to avoid them and the men who make
them have grown perfect in the art Of
accomplishing all the ends of indecency,
without actually committing it.
Liberty that goes beyond all bounds
dashes at last on the hard wall of the
necessity of restraining it. We are not
far from this point now in some aspects
of the matter. The evil has already
gone SO far that private vigilance can
not meet it. And when things are SO
that, do what he can for his boys,
father cannot keep them reasonably out
of harms way, it is time to complain of
the law, or &. least to invoke it.
"The citizens of Philadelphia, under
exactly the same provocations, have
awakened to the necessity OF protecting
their streets and their youth, and taken
measures which promise result in re-
pression.'
The above extracts will offend those
apostles of personal liberty" who be-
lieve that every man ought to have full
license to do anything he pleases unless
it can be proven in court Of justice
that his actions have harmed some one
outside his own family.
These sticklers for personal liberty"
hold that no one has right to inter
fere with the public sale of those illus
trated papers like the ones meant by
the extracts above quoted. They hold
that they are not obviously obscene
and that "pious people" have no right
to prevent their circulation.
Technically, the defenders of those
flash sheets have the law (of some
countries) on their side. But the
moral law is against them. Every
steamer from the coast brings numbers
Of these publications, which, il not in
dictable under the statute, ought to be.
If not actually obscene these papers
are $50 close, there's no fun in it. "
Their pictures are meant to stimulate
lewdness and manifestly succeed.
Their text is meant to heighten the bad
effect Of their illustrations and does so.
1t is true that cultivated and refined
people are disgusted by the inartistic
and stupidity sensational character OF
both pictures and reading matter. Blu,
, cultivation and refinement are not uni
versal qualities. Young people who
have had no opportunity for improve
ment in taste, or are too young to have
settled convictions Of right and wrong
$ no matter how well brought up, often
! fall into the habit Of glancing at and