The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-11-24

PRuDEs ON THE PRowL.

Suggestions as to the Right of the
State to Interfere with Individual
Liberty.
Here is what the London Daily
Telegraph, the paper with the
largest circulation in London, which
for week or more printed a page
Of letters daily discussing the ques-
ton OF what is known az the crusade
OF the purists against the London
music halls, under the heading
"Prudes on the Prowl," has to say
about the crusade:
"Purists - SO called by a title
which seems to suggest that their
purity is a cloak for self. advertise
ment-have done us one piece of
good which they probably little in.
tended. BY their recent action in
reference TO music halls they have
forced all thoughtful men aud wo-
men to consider the scope and valid.
ity Of certain broad principles which
are Of incalculable value in the state.
The widest principle Of all is the
right appertaining to individual
liberty, which none Of us would wish
to see interfered with or hampered,
except under the most stringent
compulsion Of public expediency.
What was settled, once for all, when
England became a free common
wealth, was that each man or wo.
man should have the power TO order
his or her life as each might will, SO
long as the equal liberty Of everyone
else is respected. Now, this is the
first thing which our 'Prudes on the
Prowr want to upset. We will say
nothing here as TO their general aud
widespread ignorance OF the facts
with which they have the audacity
to deal. The absence OF q critical
judgment is the normal idiosyncrasy
Of those who want to set right the
world from the standpoint OF their
own grass plat.
"When, however, their silly lucu.
brations affect in a greater or less
degree one OF the permanent princi-
pies Of all healthy commonwealth
the principle Of individual liberty
IL is right to make a strenuous and
energetic protest. What the state
insists on Is the preservation Of pub.
lie order. II q man gets drunk in
the streets, our police arrest him; II q
bully or . pickpocket plies his trade
in our thoroughfares, he is sent to
prison; IL q fallen woman annoys or
insults q passer-by she comes under
the cognizance OF the law. In the
case before us, however, there was
no exemplification Of this kind OF
public oiIense and scandal.
DEFENDS THE SHOW AT THE EMPIRE.
1.-THE promenade Of the Empire
theater is not a scene Of disorder
on the contrary, there is an eilicien,
control aud supervision avowedly
exercised ON purpose To prevent any
offensive exhibition whatsoever. We
observe, nevertheless, that ouI
prudes are not satisfied, as the state
Is, when the external and necessary
propriety Of civic life is secured
They want to look beneath the sur
face; they desire to reveal every
kind Of fostering sore; they confus.
altogether the province Of the execu
tive and the personal ministrationi
Of an apostle.
"Will they contend that the womel
who frequent these places OF enter
tainment are to be debarred from
the ordinary rights OF citizenship
eating and drinking and talking
And do they think that they vii
prevent, as the saying is, young mel
from being young men by all theil
indignant aud, We will add, offensive
rhetoricl is it right, in the frs
place-is it possible, in the seconC
place-to pull up tares, in a fit o
righteous and extremely impractical
zeali Or have We not been told OF
the highest authority that botl
tares and wheat should he allowed
to grow together till the harvest2
"The chief magistrate at Bow
street police court has made hi
voice heard and with no uncertain
utterance, in this most serious mat
ter-serious, because the imperti
nent and uncalled-for interference,
OF half dozen noisy male ant
female Paul Prys with things which
do not concern them is menacint
hundreds upon hundreds OF respect
able and Woodworking folk with los
OF employment, which to many o
them will mean positive loss o
daily bread.
"The long experience and tn,