The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-21
SIMPLY SCANDAL snErrs.
Omcials . Not Find . way 20 Reac
ssMePcury" and ssSun."

O0ctolo Can Not Find . Way to Reach
''Mereury'' and "sun."
The Spokane Sunday Sun aud the Seattle
Breezy Mercury were sold on the streets
yesterday 40 usual and no steps were taken
TO prevent IL. This state Of affairs came
from the fact that Corporation Counsel
Donworth, after having copies of tho
papers submitted to him by Chief J Jackson,
failed to ind anything obscene within the
meaning of the Law and then. again, the
ordinance recently passed by the council
has not been printed.
Prosecuting Attorney John F. Miller
was busily engaged when q Posr-lSrELLi-
cENCER reporter walked into his office yes
terday afternoon and asked him what ac-
ton he intended to take regarding tho
suppression Of the Mercury and Sun. He
replied:
Well. I have nothing to do with the city ordi-
nances on the subject, and am satisfied, after
studying tho state law and examining the pa
pers, that Q case could not be made against
them The law specifies that II any person
shall import. print, publish. lend. give away,
to sell. give away or distribute any obscene or
indecent publication. upon conviction he shall!
be punished by imprisonment not exceeding
three years. or BY a fine not exceeding $4,000.
The papers l have examined arc not obscene
within the meaning OF the law, although their
contents are trashy and in many cases SANDER
Gus. Domestic scandal 10 printed, sometimes
with names, but frequently with references, and
the indecent part OF the account touched upon
in such . manner that the meaning 10 conveyed
by innuendo. / am satisfied .hat..hc proper way
20 20 about tho matter 10 by an injunction. Let
some one of these who talk loudast put up .
bond and ask the court for an injunction on the
ground of stopping q publication dclcterious to
public morals l may be WRONG, bat ! believe
that some OF those who talk most are careful, and
absorbing readers OF the domestic scandals re-
cited IN tho Mercury.
There Is no law IN the state 70 prevent those
newspapers from going to the divorce court and
putting . verbatim report of some case wherein
tae evidence IL tar more indecent than anything
l have found in the papers. II the Law went
further there would &c ground for proceeding:
as II 10 there 10 none 30 far - the state IL con-
ccfnsd.
The law Is 90 framed a. TO exclude newspapers
from Publishing principally '.to,ies of blood
she'd. lust or crime These publications in the
Mercury may be ~'stories" or they may DO truths.
IL the latter is the case the statute is inopcra-
tive: II the former. the evidence has not been
laid before me. Not q word 10 mentioned In the
statute in reference TO scandals or matters re-
citing scenes OF domestic unhappincss o: dis
cord. An article may not be obscene within
the meaning of tho Jaw. and still, be OF such a
nature that its effects upon the public morals OF
the community would be exceedingly bad. A
moro stringent law in relation TO the publlcs-
tons OF true or falss statements OF domestic dis
cord 10 sadly wanting. What the community
desires freedom from 10 the rec!sals OF ''scau-
dals' when dealt with By direct tefms or in
vague iauuendot