Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-15
TO SUPPRESS IMMORTALITY.
City Council Visited by Representative
Delegation of Citizens Who Utge the Pas-
sMre of IA PcIihinrr ordinance.

Recently an ordinance was intro
duced into City Council having for Its
object the suppression Of immoral per-
formances at local theatres. 1t was
given two readings and referred to the
law committee, with which 1t is now
resting.
1t is safe TO say that there is not
member of Council who is in any way
opposed to-, the measure, but as the
existing ordinance in regard to dis
orderly conduct is construed by some
lawyers to cover the case. the com
mittee has been giving the matter de-,
liberaIe consideration in order that the
members may be satisfied that proposed
action will be constitutional and will
not conflict with any other regulations
before they are ready TO make final
report
In order TO Impress the mem bers of
Council with the gravity of the situa
tion and the necessity for passing the
pending ordinance delegation Of rep
resentative men and women of the city,
including members of the Law and
Onder Society, New. Century Club and
Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
visited Council on Thursday night and
several of the visitors made impressive
addresses. which were attentively
listened to by the members of Council
and Mayor Jelreris, who occupied a
seat on the platform with President
Baylis.
Bishop Coleman, as spokesman for
the party, introduced the subject by
referring to the pending ordinance. He
said he did not believe that there was
member OF Council who would vote
against the passage Of such measure !;
one which was calculated to rid the
city of pestileniial and degrading in
fiuences. AS the chief of police is
really powerless to suppress indecent
performances without additional city
legislation the ordinance is necessary
to assist him and the Police Com,
missioners with the work in which
they are so willing to do what they
can. The speaker referred to the fact
| that such shows are attended largely
by young lads and put stress upon the
point that these boys should not be
permitted to witness performances
| which are not fit for women to see. He
held that us long as boys go to such
places as they grow older they will bo-
come candidates for the institutions
which right thinking people would
| latnoi soo cnpby. l1b hppohieb W lDt
members to take the matter into favor
able consideration,
Archdeacon George @. Hall said be
was in hearty sympathy with the move
ment, and that the delegation had come
before Council in order to show the
members that they were not single.
handed, and in the event of the passage
of the ordinance all loyal citizsns will
assist in enforcing the law.
| Alfred ID. Warner stated that the
delegations had visited Council in THE
interests of the rising generation. He
had reason to believe that not only
boys, but also girls visited immoral
performances, and that while both boys
and girls should be looked after in
the matter, he desired to speak mainl,
in the interests of the former, who ar,
to become our men of the future and
heads of families. He had seen young
lads in front of theatres where immora
performances were given, waiting a
the doors in order that they might b,
admitted among the first. He consid
cred it the duty of all, public official
and citizens, to see that all safeguard
possible are thrown around these boy
and hoped that Council would Civ
the measure favorable consideration.
William S. Prickett thought tn
point was how to reach remedy. Ii
knew that the Police Department
recognizes that there are immoral play
and is anxious to eliminate the i'm
proper features, but there appears t
be no law to meet the case, and there
fore he considered 1t necessary that tn
ordinance should be made law of tn
city. The present state of affairs put
! the Police Department in humiliatin
position, especially when application
is made to the chief to suppress oh
noxious performances. 1t is not in
tended to build fence around tn
! city, as has been intimated, nor t
make it Puritan Sun1ay-school, bu
simply to improve the moral condition
. Of things.
Mr.. Prickett road letters from Andre,
; G. Gray and William Michael Byrne
:, each OF whom referred to the measure il
J tho highest terms.
Miss Madge Hilles and Mrs. A. d
. Warner each made few remarks OK
. pressing their hope that the desirel
y end might be accomplished.
The Rev. ID. j. Flynn said be though
: it was a matter in which no person ca
!. be without the greatest interest. He
= parently without homes lowering abou
places where Immoral performance
= were given. lie urged upon the mem
q 9 bers of Council the necessity of weigh
:! ing the matter we'll in their minds an
y thought that nothing should be sane
!, toned at places of amusement whic
y the members would not allow in thei
: parors. He concluded his remarks b
= saying that in this and any othe
= measure looking to the public welfar
% he is always ready to take an activ
. part.
y Ex-City Solicitor Charles NJ. Curti
2 thought the proposed ordinance woul
y meet the case exactly, and as one sectio
!, required that printed copies be hun
= up in conspicuous places in tn
= theatres there would be no excuse fo
: ignorance and the OBJECT would
70 beneficial. In referring to the existiD
b ordinance, he thought it would
~ better to permit disorderly conduct O
= the streets than in public places {
amusement
70 Mayor Jefferis also made few re
~ marks, in which he explained til
10 position of Council and accounted fc
"a the apparent delay in disposing of tn
y measure. He stated that he is in heart
accord with the movement and will d
~ what he can to aid it. President Bay
~ lis gave the same assurance, after whic
4 the visitors departed, knowing thi
~ Council had been fayorably impresse
~ with the merits of the case.
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RI fNl.rs