The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-29
FALL MALL REFORM.
lSan Franciscan


 The theatrical "moral revolution that is now convulsing England would have all the elements of opera bouffe were it not for the ghastly horribleness of the whole business. First. the PaX Mall Gagehe calmly advises squeamish readers not to take up the paper on certain dates Having reused prurient public curiosity by this means, it publishes day after day a mass of the vilest obscenities that ever issued from the newspaper press. The Gazefke explains, in the language of -Pecksniff, that this is all done in the in- terest of public virtue. The "public virtue is supplied with this virtuous sort of literature by "eight presses running nigh: and day." and the Gasette office is barricaded and put under police pro- lection to prevent the virtuous public from tearing down the building in their haste to buy the paper. The GaSefte then asks Cardinal Manning, the Arch bishop of Canterbury, and other divines and moralists, to examine its evidence in a committee sworn to secrecy. The committee reports that the charges are substantially true. In the meantime a carnival of scandal reigns in England. A prominent Liberal statesman is charged with the gravest social crimes the un- dergraspates of Eton are accused of un- mention able vices "the atmosphere of Parliament is fetid" with the shocking charges freely made against young and old. Are we reading of Sodom and Co., morrah, or of "sober, Christian Eng land ?"
 True or untrue as the accusations may De, this is horrible state of affairs, and it is not bettered by the pretense under which it was brought about. The moral condition of England was bad enough before the recent scandals. The Gasefte has proved its case in that regard; but how it's course is going to better matters IS hard to see. The idea that the cause of virtue, and of that particular virtue known as chastity, is going to be fur thered by the publication of an unlimited mass of obscene literature, is absurd on the very face of it. The pretense of the GaSetks that it's publication was inspired by anything beside the desire to make money, is specimen of the "molasses to catch flies with which politicians and newspapers are familiar. A moments reflection would have convinced Mir Stead and his assistants that they must do more harm than good, even were the publication and the accompanying scan dal confined to London alone. Anyone who was not altogether lacking in intelli- gence and experience would have fore seen that the articles would be read for their vicious and prurient suggestion by ninety-nine out of every hundred readers How many out of the bowling, struggling mob that besieged the Gagefx off ce read the paper with any idea of bene6ting themselves or anybody else? How many were there, especially of the younger readers, who did not have their horror of vice somewhat lessened, and their con- captions of the ways and means of vice vastly enlarged, by reading the Gazette's Exposures in behalf of morality ?"
 The worst feature of the publication, and the worst possible feature of it, lies in the fact that it was read and com mented on as a part eff the news of the day by English children. Can the effect be otherwise than bad1 Can any possi- ble good balance the harm that has been done by this very meansf Vice may be hateful when brought to light but when seen too of" when iterated, reiterated and stamped with all the approval that the example of the great can give, 1t has an entirely different appearance. It is a dangerous experiment to try even on strong natures. It is criminal when tried on children.
 The avowed object of the Gazetx is undoubtedly a good one; but even in case this is accomplished, it is hard to see that the result will or can be at all commensurate with the harm of the pub Hr4ff0n ThA ahtArf ef1tAA kx,s sAa