New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-29
"PURLIC MORALS" IN NEVADA.

They have Il Committee OH Public Morals ln
the Nevada Legislature. This, no doubt, Is be-
cause the large quantity and endless variety OF
public morals with which the State Is blessed
REQUIRE constant supervision to keep them from
developing such a condition OF superior virtue
among the people that the whole state woulu
be in danger Of being translated. They have 10
hold public morals to some degree III cneck, III
order to keeo the STATE down. and somewhat III
line with States which favor the gold standard
and indulge in other gross financial immoraiitles
in furtherancc Of this general proposition 'hc
Committee on Public Morals recently reported
favorably a bill permitting prize fighting under
protection Of the State upon payment OF license
fee OF $1,000 to the Sheriff Of the county in
which any such contest may take place Inc
bill. which was favored by the local press ana
citizens generally. passed the Assembly on tues
day by a vote Of 80 to o, and was adopted D!
the Senate yesterday. Ii Is said That there is
no organize. opposition to it-indeed, very iit'ie
OF any sor-mOst OF the leading CITIZENS Doing
decidedly in favor OF ii, because or their peiei
not only that the $1,000 license fee VIII DE IL
great help to the count? treasures nut thaS the
establishment. of this class OF entertainments
will increase the population and promote busi-
ness interests
In taking this advanced position upon the
proper subjecton of public morals TO material
interests the State Of Nevada incurs the risk OF
cncounterng adverse criticism from the press
and people Of other States, where imnoranties
on the subject of finance permit what might be
called q higher mora! standard on the subject
of nrize.tightin.. In these latter States proper
consideration is not given to the doctrine of COM
pensatons and the theory of general averages.
'rheir people do not stop TO think that COM
mun,ty which has eveloped a standard OF imam
ciol morality so superlo. AS to be absolutely out
Of sight of most of the world can well afford to
sJulterate their public morals just a little with
an indulgence in prze-fghting and still main
tain healthy general average Moreover. Ne
yada is not unused TO criticism from other States
and especially from States having much larger
population greater wealth and more diverslneu
industries though only the same representation
IN tho United States Senate. Simply because
Nevada has but one product, and her people are
unanimous in their conviction that II Is the duty
of the General Government to take that product
and pay for It twice as much as 1t can he bought
for in the markets Of the world. she mas peeh
sneered at and fouted. Then. too, there nave
been unkind comments in various parts or the
Union upon the fact that while Nevada mas less
population than any second-class city, one OF
her Senator's occupies more time on the fioor OF
the Senate and more space in 1.-THE Congress
sional Record" than any other two statesmen
representing real constituencies. 1t has been
frequently remarked by these critics that not
even the admirable reticence Of John +. Jones
was any compensation for the gurgng garrulity
OF William Stewart.
But this action of the Nevada Legislature
however criticised by the press and people or
the effete East will have to be recognized as an
important step in advance of public sentiment
In other States toward establishing an average
OF morality by the suppression of Public Morals.
The result of the experimen. will be looked for
with interest. As an immediate consequence 1t
Is confidently hoped by the citizens Of Nevada
that the match between those distinguished de-
baters. Messrs. Corbett and FitzsmmOns will be
pulled off, in that State. TO the enrichment OF
the treasury Of the county In which it takes
place the temporary Increase of the present
scanty population. the promotion OF the business
| interests of the State and the greatly desired
| deterioration in Public Morals. by which a
| healthy average morality will be established.
| putting Nevada on level with the most favored
| States. Should these expectations be answered
| by successful debate between those two emf
| nent men, 1t occurs to US that new productive
| industry might be developed by retaining both
| in the State and opening under their joint man.
| agemcn. school OF pugsm. Then in few
| years they might send somebody to succeed Sen
ator Stewart. who would put up his hands in
stead Of bis chin And what blessed relief
| that would De.