The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-24

terruption. Nor was it either better or
worse than the sights and sounds with
which it regularly regales its patrons.
The tolerance of this by the community
is one proof of moral hysteria.
While all this to-do is going forward
about the shocking state of private
morality, we have the same community
going daft over FrenchWoman whose
sole title to fame is that she can sing
bawdy songs in her native language
with such expressiveness of attitude
and gesture that those unacquainted
with the tongue cannot possibly mis-
take her meaning. 1t has never been
suggested, as far as we know, that
the police should stop the exhibitions
of Yvette Guilbert, although they are
as hostile to good taste and good
morals, if there be any difference, as
an exhibition of the nude. Again, a
nobleman, and made herself notorious
by her escapades. She is, by her own
confession, not an interesting person,
but a common wanton. Her elopement
with gypsy violinist has been the SEN
sation of the hour, although it is only
one among many similar ventures which
she hastens to pour into the public
ear Special correspondents are sent
hundreds of miles to interview this
courtesan, and her bestial confessions
are circulated and read by those who
would be insulted beyond apology if
some one were to present them with
copy of the less indecent pamphlets
surreptitiously circulated for obscene
purposes.
And what of the element at work to
correct these tendencies? Not only are
they concerned with the outside of the
cup and the platter not only do they
not prosecute but even patronize the
exhibitions which are as bad as and
far more demOraliZing in their public
effect than the private lapses of NOR
bidfty, but they are actually so hysteri-
cal as to range themselves on the side
of vice. While this Seeley dinner was
the talk of the town, a poor painter
was brought 10 trial by the society for
the prevention of vice. 1t was proved
that, while he was struggling with
want, customer came to him and
asked him to paint some improper pic
lures. The subject and treatment were
prescribed to him. He had not dreamed
of doing such an act until tempted, but
hunger was strong and the compensa-
ton great. He agreed, painted the pic
lures, and was then arrested and prose-
cuted by the agent Of the association
who had first made him a criminal and
then called in the law to punish.
These are a few samples of the hys-
terical spirit of the age. It is not con-
sciously vicious. 1t is not, we imag-
inc, at all the spirit of the falling Ro-
man empire. 1t is simply cut loose from
its mornings and effervesces in fam
tastic shapes. 1t is the era of the
sensational and the hypocritical.
Men and women are clamoring
for new occupations and new privi-
leges in the name of justice and Of
progress, while the work which they
were set to do waits unperformed. The
old traditions of individual duty which
were so strongly buttressed by religious
belief and observances have, weakened,
while as yet the race has not come to
realize that there is a .gfeater, wider,
sterner law of conduct in the immuta-
bic constitution Of the universe than
was ever promulgated by the most re-
lentless of creeds. Conduct is for the
time managed without a compass; and
both vice and the opposition to vice,
affected by the vague theories of the
day, plunge into the hysterical. 1t is
an age of hysteria; and, although that
is an aff1iction not pleasant to
witness or to experience, it is not neces-
sarily either chronic or incurabIe.