The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-03
"PEsT1FERoUs INDECENoY.,

| "'PESTIEEhOUS INDECENGY'
Speaking of the Detroit daily papers, an
exchange says that almost every issue drips
with moral rottenness and pestiferous indie
cency. The language is vigorous, and, un-
less the Detroit dailies are cleaner than those
of Cincinnati the language has the merit of
truthfulness as we'll as Of vigor. Having
made this CHARGE and others of a similar kind,
| against the daily papers, the exchange from
| which we have quoted declares its belief that
the time has come to place legal restrictions
upon newspaper reportorial work. So mon
strously are the daily newspapers abusing their
privileges that the present interests of society
and the welfare of coming generations demand
| a change.
"And there is beyond question an evil at
| this point which ought to be removed There
are issues of our daily papers which are too
indecent to be read in our families. Not only
| are their pages afiame with tragedy and spat-
tered over with blood, but there are details OF
bestial crimes which pure man would blush
| to read alone. They are schools of scandal
and instructors in sin. If the instincts of
| the race did not lead astrav, the daily press
would supply the needed impulse, and point
| the way
| ''And back of the paper which we are com.
PEELED to read, if we read any daily at all, is
| the organization of the Associated Press. 1t
ransacks all society for outrages. 1t revels in
| scenes of lust. All crimes are its eagerly
sought pabulum. If it can scent out
| some scandal on minister of the gospel it
| filings it in startling colors before the
gaze of the world The good deeds of
men, because, as a rule, they lack the tragic
element, are passed by in silence, and the
press thus exhibits to our weary eyes piano.
rama of horrible disasters; the murderer drips
with Blood the suicide ends his miserable life;
the lecher betrays his victim, and infanticide
is resorted to to hide the crime and shame;
the man who has been long trusted turns out
a defaulter; cruel father numerically beats
a help less child; the chief officer of some
charitable institution is found guilty of deeds
/ too hideous to be believed crime, crime,
crime blood, blood, blood; fire, food,
earthquake such is the endless
procession of horrors which crowd the
| canvas every weary day, until the
| very glut of crimes makes us insensible, and
| the superabundance of horrors makes it inn
| possible for us to be longer Mortified. When
we take time to consider the matter little in
| detail the facts are appalling, and especially
| when we consider that, on the whole, the
daily press is one of the most powerful edu-
| eating agencies now in operation. There are
millions of people who do not read one good
book through in five years, who gaze upon
this panorama Of 'pestiferous indecency' at
|
nominally Christian men who refuse to take
a clean, pure, elevating religious paper, who
| open the sluices of this daily filth into the
midst of their homes. There is no excuse for
| the debauched and debauching character of
| the average daily newspaper.
'.This also must be said, however, and it
| only makes the case worse: the people read
these papers as they are: the sales of them are
larger when dreadful crime has been COM
mitted than on other days; there is market
| for 'pestiferous indecency' and the market is
supplied with what will sell. If the papers
leprous with lust and red with tragedy could
| find no purchasers. the blotched sheets would
not be offered. This fact is no apology for
such management of the press as we deplore,
but it shows that there is fault outside of
| newspaper Offices as well as in them.
| 'There is here fruitful theme of thought
for fathers and mothers. and for all others
| who have the care of children. as we'll as for
| the philanthropist and the we'll wisher of his
race"
We reprint the abovesarticle in full from
the columns of the Western Christian Advo-
cate. of which Rev. DR.. Bayliss, formerly of
this city, is the editor.
We know DR.. Baylss very we'll, and shall
not be betrayed into saying anything person
ally unkind; but will try and set him an ex-
ample of charity in judgment and reasonable
ness in expression which he seems to sadly
need, and which we hope may be blessed to
his profit withal; for, as the Journal has here
tofore said, the Doctor has shown himself to
have high capabilities as an editor, and under
his charge the Advocate has most decidedly
improved. But this article is discreGitable to
him, is false and slanderous in terms and i'm
| plication, and is of kind that can not only
do no possible good, but must inevitably do
great harm.
| We claim to know something of the news
paper press of the United States. The Jour
nal has made it much more of a study for
years than DR.. Bayliss can possibly have done
either during the years in which lie was train.
ing for the editorship which he now holds, or
in the short Tina since his ambition was graf
ified and satisfied by an election at the hands
of the General Conference Of 1884. On the
basis of that knowledge and study the Jour
nal is prepared to say that the picture Of the
average daily newspaper, which the Advo-
cate draws is as brutally false as if the Jour
nal were to picture the whole of the Christian
clergy in the colors that might fifty represent
| Parson Downs or the s'Rev." DR.. Bristor
The picture of the average daily newspaper
painted by the Advocate is as gross libel as
| if the Journal were to measure the entire re-
ligious press by the shameless and shameful
| caricatures and moral monstrosities that have
and not SO infrequently, either-disfgured
and dishonored their name and profession.