The Portland daily press., 1892-08-16

Oily harbOr against him a deep-Seatcd
malice. The fact is that the connection
of ones name with Comstock in print
must imply odium. Conviction of an
odious charge is all the more severe a
punishment, and that he rarely fails to
secure conviction, and has lived and
fourished so many years in this COM
munity, is wholesome evidence of the le-
gality of his proceedings. The rising
flood of filth, which twenty years ago
seemed to threaten absolutely to over
whelm the youth of the United States,
has been to very large degree checked
and driven to the noisome sewers from
which it came by the Comstock society.
AT the time this incorporated body,
which is a creature of statute and en-
dowed with far-reaching privileges and
powers by the law that created it, took
its origin, the United States mails were
used for the dissemination of obscene
literature to an extent to which
few people were aware, and
with an impunity calculated
to make parents and guardi-
ans shudder even now. TO a
less extent all over the country, but to
a shocking degree in the city of New
York and it's suburbs, school children
of both sexes had thrust upon their at
tention cards, pictures and printed mat
ter whose vileness was simply hides
cribable. This often continued for
weeks before teachers or parents were
aware of it; the harm SO done could
never be repaired. However great every
free mans adherence must be Of in
quisitorial powers vested by law inin-
dividuals, the end attained by the Gre
alton and maintenance of the Comstock
society has been SO beneficial that we
can well afford to forgive much to both
man and methods. The transmission
of indecent mail is now attended with
SO much risk that few people try it.
The possession of even debasing pub
locations or objects is so dangerous-as
was shown week or two since IN a
case of a well-known cigar merchant,
whose desk was broken open by Com
stock with warrant in broad daylight
that its very existence is now largely
a matter of hypothesis. The public in
dignation which evinced itself in some,
quarters at the arbitrary breaking open
of this mans private desk by Anthony
Comstocl, and the seizure therein of
illicit articles, ought in reasonable
mind to subside on reflection.
The cigar merchant pleaded guilty
in open court to the charge.
which Mr.. Comstock made against
him, and was fined therefor. Had
there been single flaw in the
legal methods which Mr.. Constock
adopted in this case, heavy suits for
damages would, undoubtedly, have fol-
lowed at once. The colored cartoon in
Truth, by the way, which excited the
virtuous indignation of the Union News
Company, was harmless, reproducing
on small scale the time-honored pic
ture of satyr watching naked nymphs
bathing, and as companion to it a ko-
dak fend taking views of female love-
illness at the seaside. The comparison
of the kodak fend to the satyr was an
excellent one.
! There was nothing indecent in either
view of the subject, bits of carelessly
tour of the nymphs, however, what in
an evil mind might have been sug-
gestion of evil. In spite of the Union
News Companys protest, Truth, how
ever, was distributed as usual that
week.
GEORGE GOULD A MANAGER.
! It is announced that Mr.. George
Gould has received as birthday present
from his father the Grand opera house,
over on the corner of Twenty third
street and Eighth avenue. This is one
of the most commodious and elegant
theater buildings in the city of New
York. Although built twenty-five
years ago, it has not been outstripped in
its appointments and general scope by
any of the modern amusement struc-
lures. Samuel N. Pike, the great
whisky prince of Cincinnati, built
the Grand opera house as
sort of monument to himself He made
his fortune out of whisky during the
war and the period when the heavy
government tax was laid upon it. His
first venture in the way of providing the
country with amusements was the
building of Pixies opera house in Gin
cinnati. This was destroyed by fire in
1866. While standing on balcony Of
the Burnet house contemplating the
destruction of his magnificent building,
Mr.. Pike was despoiled of his gold watch
by a pickpocket. He made him
self somewhat conspicuous when
he discovered his loss by re-
marking that this seemed to
be adding insult to genuine injury. Mr..
Pike was anxious to exploit himself in
New York city, and so from this ambi-
ton grew the magnificent Grand opera
house. He was soon compelled to part
with it, and the building then passed
into the hands of Mr.. Gould and the
Erie railway people. It was made ia
nous by Jim Fisk, who swel1ed there |
in Oriental luxury and sunk a
very considerable sum of the
Erie railways earnings trying
to create popular demand for
French opera bouffe 1t was in
this building that all the schenaing
and conniving which enabled Fisk and
Gould to practically appropriate the
Erie railroad took place. For this rea-