The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-06-13

We take pleasure in publishing else
where a paper on "Pernicious Litera
ture" read by Rev. j. II. Byers before
the Ministerial association. 1t is in
the main worthy production and one
that will amply repay perusal. The
subject is an important one. Vicious
and immoral literature constitute a
growing evil, one against which NOR
al crusade will some day, be waged.
We think the writergoes little beyond
his province in arraigning works of
fiction not immoral. The most devout
of his own flock, we have no doubt,
read the standard works of fiction with
pleasure and profit. There may be
people who confine themselves strictly
to the Bible and other religious books,
but for the most of us, such a literary
diet wood soon surfeit. We should
become cloyed, and ask for a change.
The daily newspaper is quite severity
arraigned, and Mr.. Byers says the
question Of its exclusion from the fam
lily is regarded as "a vital ONE
Again we think he is too extreme.
The daily newspaper is or aims to be
what the popular taste demands. II
it falls short of that, its days are soOI
numbered. Popular taste may be Wit
ate and bad, but the newspaper il
hardly to blame for that. 1t did no
create the public taste for the spic!
and the blood curdling. Popular cur
iosity existed long before the dali!
newspaper came with it's columns o
criminal doings to crafty it.
Besides, freedom of speech, and free
dom of the press are considered eve
in the fundamental laws of the land a
very important rights which are mos
, jealousy watched and guarded. Woul
not the idea suggested by Mr.. Byers c
o excluding the daily newspaper fror
the family be, if carried out, an inva:
ion of one of these right:
to wit, the freedom {
the press! And if the governin
power-which we suppose is the ager
meant to carry out the idea-may il
:, wade this right in such summaI
q manner, why might it not go furthe
= and curtail or destroy other rights T.
garded as equally invaluable? New
papers may not be all they should /
but they shall have to get much worS
than they are before the idea (
y ostracising them can be made effet
. tive.
Another cause of complaint again
them is that while they give so muC
= space to criminal doings, they almo
y entirely ignore the facts of the reilj
ious world and neglect to chonicle Il
doings in churches and church CT
= cles. We doubt the correctness
% that. The Monday morning pape
" in the larger cities contain reports
the best sermons delivered ON the pr
= vious Sabbath, and papers everywhe
!, note whatever of interest occurs
" church circles as they do elsewheI
They may not record the particul
instances of conversion that tai
= place, or expatiate on the individu
brands snatched from the fire by IL
y or that minister. But that is simI
y because such things are not thought
be of sufficient interest. Besides, TC
" Jones, who sat yesterday for the fiji
h0 time on the mourner's bench, won
probably resent the impertinenceO of
=, newspaper that would intrude its
= into his private affairs. AS for al
- thing of a public nature or concern,
= newspaper is as glad to take it from
a church as from the legislative la
News is news no matter whence
comes.
AZ But, as we said. the question of i
s moral literature is an important o
and we are glad to see that the min
a.. tiers are taking up the cudgel agail
it. Let them go ahead, and they v
IA find their most effective allies amC
~ the daily newspapers, bad as they n
III be.