Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-16
SOCIETY SCOURGED.
A Montreal Minister'S Scath.
ing Denunciation.
VICE IN HIGH PLACES ARRAIGNED.

A Searching Censure of Popular Drama
Depravity of the "Gilded Youth" Laid
Bare and Condemned In Words That
Burn-City and National Oficials Held
Up to Reproduction.
MONTREAL, JAN 16-Society in this city
and at Ottawa has been turned inside out by
. sensational speech delivered here before
the White Gross society by Rev. DIR. Doug
lass, president of the Wesleyan Methodist
college. 1t was the most sweeping denun-
ciatory arraignment Of social leaders and
public officials ever heard in Canada. There
were many ladies in the audience. After
comparing Montreal with London, as de-
scribed by the editor of The Pail Mall Ga
xette, he denounced the modern drama,
Langtry in Camille" and Patti in Ira
viata."
"Who is Gambler said he. AN aban-
doned woman, a social outcast, a French
prostitute. In the denouement Of the play
this social wreck is presented In enamored
alliance with idle and reckless debauchses.
Rap at the ''Noblesse."
The drama is spiced with that infamy OF
the French language, the double entendre,
full Of all salacious suggestion, and then,
yelled in couleur de rose, we have the bitter
finale Of the so-called woman of pleasure, in
which the actress pales her face with white
powder, arrays herself In white robe, re-
clines voluptuously on a couch, stimulates the
agonized gaspings of the consumptive, and
in the villains arms mimics the expiring
groan-wAen loi your dowager duchesses of
different parts of this city draw forth their
perfumed handkerchiefs and wipe their
weeping eyes over this bnrlesque of grim
death itself But these same duchesses have
no compassion, no tears, for the scores OF
Candles that languish in the city hos
pitfalls.
The Stage and Literature.
aft Is time some should lift up their voices
in our cities against the influence of our mod
ern stage, which Mrs Kendall, the friend of
our queen, frankly admits is tainted from
its center to circumference, illustrated in her
own play in our city.
IL impeach booksellers and news vendors as
at war with virtue. Look at the sons and
daughters of most Christian families. What
company do they keeps
an the retirement of their own rooms in
the silence of the midnight hour, they com
panionate with the vagabonds and protiigates
and outcasts. Creations these of the Brad
dons, the Infamous Ouidas, and the Swim
burnes-all garnished with the splendor of
descriptive fiction, but still the product of
the foulest minds of our age.
Onslaught on Society.
After declaring that the mayor, council,
and many members of parliament were
reveling in vice and living openly-some OF
them-in defiance of the Seventh command
ment, the speaker made the following attack
on society" 81 impeach the class Of so
called society men as at war with the sane
tity of the family-the wasted scious OF
wealth, the degraded sons of niggsrd
fathers, your men that arise at will, pay
morning calls at and dine it and wine il
and cigar it and gamble it, and dissipate it
and then at the midnight hour march out OF
their club houses-those heart breakers OF
honest say, out of their club houses OF
elsewhere and drive east into darkness. The
society roue will lie, he will swindle, he viii
cheat at cards, he will forge, he win defal
cate, he will smile in the face of man as
friend while he is wrecking his domestic
honor, and, as have known, he will drink
the very wine that charity has donated fol
p
A Case in Point.
Some time ago l had in my employ 9
comedy and devout girl Returning from &
visit TO friend one evening, she was &C.
costed by what proved 10 be one of YOU
mustached French advocates, who, with
Satanic gallantry, sought to decoy her int
one of the down town restaurants, from
which, thank heaven, she was saved, as the
poor bird from the snare of the fowler
"A Little Fast, You Know"
"And where is the villain who has wrought
this ruinationl Wherel Welcomed into tn,
salons of st. Denis and Sherbrooke streets
whisking around the daughters of wealth
in the revolving proximities and semi-nudt
indelicacies of the waltz and polka, fascina
ting the feminine heart like as the insect.
fascinated by the devouring fame. Fas
cinatingi Yes; all the more because of tn,
dark romance that is whispered about thai
Charlie Is a little fast, you know Fast
Yes By oaths Of eternal fealty, by protesta
tions and perjury, he has wrought out tn,
ruin of humble innocence, and then cast the
victim aside like the trampled rind of ar
orange out of which the sweetness has beer
pressed This Il the romance that floats ou
in the balls and social parties Of society con
corning q man, creature, loathsome rep
tile to be scorned, despised, ostracised. But
then, We goddesses Of society, the reptile il
eligible, and has money.
A Scathing Indictment.
There are men In our midst CARRIED will
respectability-if were to declare their do
ings in the demi-monde halls Of New York
in the Alhambras and Casinos OF London, il
the midst of the can-can genuhections O.
Paris; il ! were to reveal how their dis
guises shams, were pierced through anc
through, they would stand blanched with tn,
pallor of Belshazzar when he saw the hand
writing on the wall, while dishonored head
would be crowned with reproach and hiss
ing"
The utmost sensation was caused in the
| audience by the denunciation, and it is nov
the talk of the city. Mr.. Douglas is one o
the most influential clergymen IN Canada.
Eight-Hour Resolves In Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 16.-A large mass
meeting of carpenters, at which other trade.
were also represented, adopted resolution
last night favoring a reduction in hours, al
increase in pay, and the abolition Of piec,
work. The meeting was called in pursuance
OF the sight-bour agitation recommended b,
| the international workmen's congress a
| Paris last summer.