The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-29
AMPLE LAW TO STOP cURSING.
SAVANNAH DOESN'T NEED AN ANTI
SWEARING ORDINANCE.

Under the Ordinance Regulating Dis
orderly Conduct, Which Has Been
in Force FOrty-FOur Years, the
Recorder Has Scope Enough to
Reach the Majority of Offenders.
No New Legislation in Prospect
Here.
Savannah has no anti-swearing ordi-
nance such as New York has recently
adopted, but 1t has a general ordinance
against disorderly conduct by which the
same results are secured, to some extent
at least.
Under the state laws" said an attorney
yesterday, in discussing the ordinance
adopted by the New York aldermen. and
its possible application to Savannah. PRO
family is a misdemeanor and can be pun
ished by fine or imprisonment, or both, at
the discretion of the court. The law is
one that is little observed by itself,
though, and I cannot remember any re-
cent case in which man was indicted
and tried for simply the offense against
the public morals.
Under the city ordinances, as under
stand them, a man cannot be arrested and
fined in the Recorders court for profan-
ity unless his offense is calculated to
cause a breach of the peace. He could
be arrested under the state law, but
should not think that any existing city
ordinance would reach him. There are
times when men are guilty of profanity
among themselves when it could not pos
sibly be shown that breach of the peace
was likely to result Some men, as is well
known, have the bad habit of bandying
epithets among themselves to which they
pay no attention, but which are either in
decent or blasphemous They think
nothing of what they say, no strife results,
or is likely to follow and the pub
lie peace is in no danger Of being broken.
The state law would reach them. An Off
Ger could order them to cease such Ian
guage, If he desired to give them warning,
and If they did not do so, could arrest
them and the Recorder could turn them
over to the Superior Court. The New York
city ordinance provides a more direct and
more effective way of putting a stop to
such profanity by inhicting a specified fine
OI lIiosS Louuu Suilty IN the Police Court.
1t Is much easier way to get at those
who offend in this way"
There has been no discussion among the
savannah aldermen about the action of
their fellows of the metropolitan board
lf there is any strong public sentiment
mere IN favor of such an ordinance or any
idea chat one is needed, there is not a
doubt that some alderman can be found
quite wiling to introduce it and cham
plon its passage. Under the existing ordi-
nances against offenses considered as
breaches of the peace the recorder has
wide enough latitude to reach all cases of
profanity under the general charge of
'disorderly conduct" That charge IS fire.
quently docketed against prisoners, with
the additional words, using profane Aan-
gua8e on the streets" cursing an Off
GER" or something of similar import.
The ordinance referred to has done ser
vice for thirtyfour years, having been
adopted on June 2, 1854. 1t says: "Any
person who shall, in the night or day.
disturb the peace or quiet of the city in
any manner whatsoever, or shall be gull
ty OF any riotous disorderly or improper
conduct shall, on conviction in the police
court, he fined in a sum not exceeding
$780, or be imprisoned not exceeding thirty
days, or both"
Hardly a day passes that some one who
has been profane on the street Is not fined
by the recorder under this old ordinance.