The morning call., 1893-10-26
WOMEN AROUSED.
Movement for Reform of
the Press.
SICKENING SENSATIONALISM.
A Strong Demand to Be Made That
Newspapers Shall Be Conducted
With DecenCy.

"This movement comes spontaneously
from the women of California. Ii por-
tion of our press is the mirror of the NOR
alty of the people. it is high time that we
did something to prevent the publication
of so much immortality"
The lady who thus spoke yesterday to
CALL reporter is one Of the most active
and influential members of the movement,
set on foot last Tuesday at the school OF
Miss Mary B. West, for securing greater
purity of the press in this city.
"You must understand that we are not
starting an organization" she continued.
"a large number of the most INFLUENTIAL
women throughout the State are actively
interested, it is true, but all organizations
will be given an opportunity of aiding the
movement. All classes and denomina-
tions of our people who take the papers,
OF would take them. if they were not
afraid of letting them fall into the hands
of their girls and boys. Will feel an inter-
est in the petition praying for greater
purity of the press.
''We are already assured Of thousands OF
signatures throughout the State. OF SO
many, in fact, that the number Will pr0Da-
bly, astoniSh every one. No; none OF us
care to give our names. This Is not a
think that the women of California have
come to feel that they would like to 60 on
record as whole in this matter, and II
any one cares to see our names they can 90
so by reading the list of signatures when
it is prepared-that is if they have time"
And the speaker laughed merrily and in
timated that it would be no light task to
wade thro Ugh that list of names.
'You see the editors will respect the
women of California as whole" she con-
tinued. "We do not intend to approach
the press in any but the most conclliatory
spirit. We recognize that the papers have
done great deal for us. They are won
derfully energetic in bringing news to us.
They are almost necessities, in fact. and
yet we do not dare to put some OF them
into the hands of yeung people.
You know we Americans will bear
things up to certain point, and then
there comes time when the people make
stand. 1t is part OF our constitution and
of our government that the majority OF
the people should decide what is to be and
what is not TO be. The majority of the
people in this State want less sensational
ism in theI daily papers, and they are
strong enough TO show the editors that It
is to their best interests to heed the
warning"
Another San Francisco lady, who is
well known not only as woman OF
WedllH, Dub dioU dS Uuo VI I'LL usual oDiii1ts 8
when questioned upon the subject, OBJ
served:
1--WE do not wish to attack nor to an
tagonize the press. We recognize the fact
that the rule which applies 10 every kind
of trade applies also to newspapers. But
the question is whether people want per-
sona or immoral details rather than the
clean statement of fact and truth; whether
they approve OF the wanton destruction OF
private regulations in public print.
The people who buy papers are placed
in the position Of customers. and there
certainly should be some consideration
shown them in the quality of the wares
supplied for their money.
The women of California believe that
newspapers. such as THE CALL. not to
flatter you, which can be brought into the
family and used as an educating influence
among the young, will be more likely to be
bought and subscribed for than those
which have to be hidden away from our
boys and girls. We feel that the remedy
for this state OF things lies with the people
themselves. If we boycott sensation
A third lady, who is also we'll known to
every San franciscan, observed:
The fact that the public stand all this
sensationalism is no proof that they ap-
prove of it. To tell the truth, not only
our women, but even men. are more dis
gusied than perhaps you think. But the
public is timid in undertaking any move
ment till some one sets it going. then they
follow.
"The women of California" she added
significantly, ''are setting this movement
in motion, and there is no doubt but that
they will carry it through succe ssfully."