The herald., 1894-10-20
"SASSlETY" AND VICE.
The Right and the Wrong Way of Keeping
Scandals Out of the Newspapers.


Scandals Out of the Newspapers.
It would be hard indeed if we could
not get a laugh out Of all these horrid
scandals that scar society's face, and it
has come at last-broad, hearty and ir-
repressible.
The good people of Newport-not the
old Newporters, but the people who
have followed in their train-are so in
tensed by the reports published about
the misdoings of the Four Hundred that
they have organized a Society For the
Suppression of Newspaper Notoriety.
Dear, comical, old Elbridge T. Gerry
is at the head of the new society, and
it looks as if he would have time to at
tend to nothing else.
The purpose of the society is to pre-
vent the publication in New York and
Boston (other cities don't count) of mat
ters that are purely personal to the Four
Hundred and of no public interest.
If Mrs. Stevens maid takes advan-
tage of Mr.. Tom Cushing's valet. that
is legitimate news, and no objection
will be made to its publication, but if
Mrs Stevens herself should cast sleeps
eyes at Mr.. Cushing, or if Mr.. A. should
compromise Mr.. B. S wife, on Mr.. G. sue
his wife for divorce, or Mrs. D. go
wrong with dude-these are matters
that concern nobody but the culprits
themselves and their most intimate
friends
No wonder the laugh is loud and long
at these good peoples expense.
Did it never occur TO dear old Gerry
and his younger friends on the social to-
boggan slide that "Society For the
Suppression Of Vice In the -Four HIM
dred" would cut at the very root of the
evil of which they complain, whereas
the step they are taking now can only
trim off some Of the topmost boughs?
There is without doubt a certain
amount of reckless newspaper writing
going on which every one abominates--
and every one reads.
This writing keeps pace with the do
ings of the day. 1t is often inaccurate,
vulgar and malicious; but, on the other
hand, there is so much social evil doing
that never finds its way into print at all
that the score is pretty even up to date.
l could mention the names Of hun
dreds of prominent New York and Bos-
ton families who have never had cause
to complain of single limo or word
printed to their derogation.
And why? Simply because they have
never given the opportunity.
While not making plea for the soci-
ETY. reporter or the scandal loving eci-
tor am sufficiently familiar with their
methods to know that they would just
as lief print good news Of prominent
people as bad news.
Bad news sells better than good news,
Of course. In times of war, tempest,
famine, fire and food the demand for
newspapers doubles and trebles.
So it does in times of great social dis
aster.
The collapse of Duncan, Sherman 81
Co., the failure of Grant S5 Ward, the
elopement of Herbert Pell and Mrs.
Kate Kernoehan, the divorce Of MIR. and
Mrs. Fernando Yznaga and the subse-
quent marriage of both, the Drayton
scandal, the Vanderbilt imbroglio, the
Gould fiasco-all these stirring Incl
dents i'll social life, and thousands of
others for which haven't space, con-
stitute the gossip of the day which is
on every ones lips, and which can no
more be kept out of the newspapers than
duck can be kept out of water or Ward
McAllister out OF print.
That is why advise kind old Gerry
and his pretty playmates to begin to
trim ship before they yell that they are
overpowered by water.
1 cannot predict any success for the
new society with the object of suppress
ing bad news about fashionable people
Murder will out-so will adultery,
drunkenness, cheating at cards, dishon-
orable Indebtedness and all the other
vices to which flesh is heir.
AS / said before, a society that con-
demns publicity has only to ponder for
a moment upon all it does that is not
printed and be grateful on its marrow
bones that such matters are still per-
sonal and have not yet become of public
interest. t.-Cholly Knickerboclzer in New
York Recorder.