The record-union., 1897-03-05
EXALTING INDECENCY.

Joseph Dunlop of Chicago was con-
victed by jury Of his country of send
ing an obscene newspaper through the
United States mails. He appealed to
the Supreme Court of the United States
and the judgment of the court below
was affirmed. That he had a perfectly
fair trial cannot be successfully de-
MED
But a few days ago 10000 people as
sembled in Chicago, held a meeting in
honor of Dunlop and adopted resolu-
tions asking President Mckinley to
pardon the offender, though President
petition, giving incontrovertible rea-
sons for denying the prayer. The mans
offense was loud, raw and dirty. He
was an apostle and advocate of Bryan
ism, but he made his advocacy that of
the sewer pipe, and now these petition
ers have insulted Mr.. Bryan by asking
him TO present their petition to Pres
icent Mckinley.
james was the other day convicted and
sentenced to the State Prison for mis-
use of the mails by sending a filthy
paper through them. He published a
sheet called the Partisan" 1t
dripped with filth. While pretending to
advocate and further reform, his paper
was filed with advertisements of houses
Of prostitution, with portraits of pros
titutes and biographical sketches of
low women and criminals. along with
lurid denunciation of people who dare
TO belong to churches and espouse re-
ligious faiths, besides scurrilous as
saults upon municipal, State and coun-
ty officers, and repeated indictments to
disorder and Iawlessness.
The fellow is already behind State
Prison bars, and he ought to remain
there a good deal longer than he will.
But in his case, too, there is contin-
gent of defenders denouncing the courts
and the law. because this man was
convicted, and bowling about the OPP
pressed reformer being the victim OF
plutocrats and the despised and death
deserving law.
What are we coming to, when any
considerable body of people can become
so morally deranged as to look upon
these fellows as martyrs and their Of
fenses as virtues? When the Dunlops
and James can command a follow
ing of weeping adherents, who grove
before them as patron saints and eX-
alt them as heroes, we may well ask II
there is indeed a propagation of this
ties going on that may in time choke
the wheat OF order and decency. and
turn the Government over to the furies
CT anarchy?
A few years ago such men could not
have commanded a following of tens
now they have bowling army at theil
backs of ten thousands. Assuredly
there is a spread of poison in the pub
lie mind when a considerable body o.
people can become so disafTected fol
such a cause. We have no idea thai
these malcontents are going to effec
much. Their number will increase, bu
we can safely answer our own ques
ton. mo, the tribe VIII neveE be abb
to dominate in this free land. No. tbs
Dunlops and James ct ais, will no
at any time be looked up to by the peo
pie as saints and martyrs. There vii
always be enough of the sentiment o
decency and the respect for cleanliness:
left in American society to put th'
broods of scurrility under foot. They
will not, unhappily, be exterminated
but they can be and viii be throttleC
and punished. and made to wallow il
the gutter whence they come.
But when all this is said we confess
that we recognize the feebleness o
Justice and its incapacity to deal witt
all alike, since it still permits gutter
born and lurid, sensational press to out
rage good taste, offend the moral sens
and corrupt the rising generations; w
do nothing in the way Of teaching II