Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-12
We Should Know the Laws.

The motherhood of our country is
waking up, and w. G. II. L. mail
bristles with such questions as these
What is our best course of action
against saloon displaying obscene
pictures? What is the law in this
state touching exhibitions of portraits
of nude Women?" How can | protect
my boys against impure literature sent
through the mails to the school chill
dren?'
The ignorance of women touching
legal matters has been the power of
the enemy against her in her struggle
to protect her children and her home
Even if she knew the law in the
greater number of instances it was q
stranger weapon in her hands than her
husbands pistol. which would have
driven the burglar from her house had
she not been afraid to touch it: or. had
1t not by reason Of her trembling ignor-
ance gone off in the wrong direction. >
and done more harm than good
There has fallen into our hands a
pamphlet containing sections of the
penal code of the laws of the state of
New York, in reference to the puhlica-
, ton and distribution of obscene litera-
, ture and pictures. ard manufacture
and sale of drugs for immoral pur-
poses, the abuse of the mails. etc, With
the construction of such laws and the
rulings of the courts in test cases.
This little compilation worth far
more than its weight in gold. is pub
lished by the New York Society for the
Suppression of Vice. and is a weapon
that will deal more deadly blows at tho
octopus Of sensuality than a thousand
well meant but non educativc sermons
and articles.
Prof. Graham Taylor. a we'll known
power in the social settlement move
ment, said, in reference to the denizcns
of the Sums who are at the mercy of
ward heelers," "booClers," and others
of that government despising class.
that TO let the poor man know his
rights as citizen, meant in nine cases
out of ten that he would claim those
rights, and thus the Stun becomes in
time corrective"
As long as our laws exist in bound
books alone, their vice-controlling
power known only to the few, so long
will our homes be ravaged by the
slayer. We heard of a case in point
recently. \ young girl. in a country
village, was robbed of the pure pearl
of her young womanhood. No one Of
her friends knew the rights to the out
ragged home and heart, and before
ignorance could inform itself the Grim
inal was Well away to repeat his crime
There could be no nQbler work for our
state unions than the publication of
such pamphlets as the one we have
ment Toned sowing the Cpllutf'. 15np,.-
deep with the literature which will shed
light on the dark places
Many and many group of men have
taken legal counsel" before the com
INITIAL OF some heinous offensc. to find
out how far yillany might safely go.
and safety" hinge on the ignorance of
their victims.
Eut our laws are not all good
Heaven speed the day Of another writ
ing than this Publish the unjust laws
and the imperfect laws as we'll make
widely known the fact OF no legislation
where legislation should be. Educate,
Educate, Educate,
Many a lad and lass sit at our tables
today, who. if they heard free, intolli-
gent discussion of the laws of the state
ana nation might tomorrow raise
trumpet voices against injustice. I'M
executed law and unpublished crime.
We are waking up, but we are winking
and blinking still, in The uuaccustomed
light Back with the shutters, up with
the shades, let the clear water of rcso-
lution lave the last trace of drowsiness
from our eyes until we can see. and
when we see we can save,
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