Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1899-09-23
a GROWING ANTI-COMSTOCKISM.
Editor Pioneer Press:

a GROWING ANTI-COMSTOCKIsM.
Editor Pioneer Press:
There is growing sentiment
against Comstock, both among Free.
thinkers and religicnists. The large
number of leading papers that have
opened their columns to the criticism
of Comstock, his methods and his
laws, are evidence that the dey of his
downfall draws nigh. see also by
his own Treasurer's report, that
unless his dupes come forward with
more cash for bis nefarious work the,
work of his society must soon cease.
There was convention at Ottawa,
Kansas recently, at which Nj re-. EttB
Semple of that city presided: one of
its resolutions was;
"Resolved-That we, the members of
the Kansas Freethought Association in
of the Federal statutes known as the Com
stock postal laws, under which laws many
publishers. editors and private persons
have been deprived of liberty and property
on the technical charge of sending through
the mails obscene literature, and Resolved
further..that we pledge ourselves to use our
Influence and best efforts to secure The tr
umph of the principle equal rights for all
and special privileges for none !"
One of the last articles against
Comstock appears in the Boston
Traveller of Sept. 18th from the pen
of John G. Palmer, of Welsh Run,
Franklin Co., Pa. This paper has
100000 readers and Mr.. Palmer's
article or letter will oe duly read and
have a good effect upon vast uum.
Der Of intelligent people. I have
myself had similar letters in the
we'll known Providence Journal and
other New England papers.
THE NUDE IN ART
From The Boston Traveller.
To the Editor: In a receIt edition of
The Traveller appeared the notice of An
thony Comstcck's intention to prosecute
the management of the National Export
Exposition for art posting, the figure being
a female gowned in blue, and male, rep
resenting industry Our modern Tongue
mada" is still rafting around among the
dry bones of the saints. This pure minded
man. who so bushes at the nude in art,
came int this world with his clothes on,
and never removed them since. except in
the dark, for fear his sanity nude figure
might be seen and create lascivious
thoughts in carnal minded people. So the
sanity mill continues to run. and another
grist from the Comstock Anti-Snut sill is
ready for The narket j. warfare Of the
1ealots and bigQts has been 24Iriad o far
me iT4 garter v "a century TAe3e W.
$50 bats OF snpertition give ID uosmsaly
screech, and with va Qther warnjnu s&ustce
upoa their uLsaspecting gotins apd drag
Them into oonrt ard to jail Tot some yiola.I
tion OF some trumpet up crime, under the
guise of violating the obscenity statutes
They would stoop to the depth of perdition
and drag victim through all the slime in
the universe. sThis monstrous perversion
Of law known as our "Obscenity Statutes"
engineered through Congress by lot of
Christian cranks, for the suppression of sin
and crime by law, has become, under the
management of Anthony Comstock, a fort.
ress behind which the enemies of free
speech, free press and right morality hurl
their grape and canister at the advancing
forces of freedom. Hundreds of men and
women, many of them of high moral char
acter and laborers for humanity's welfare,
have been harassed. ptose cuted, fined,
imprisoned and bounded almost to death
under this man Comstock's personal man
agement. All this is done in the name of
righteousness and God. No wonder the
masses are leaving the churches never to
return when they see what a miserable
mess is being made out of it, with this
man at the helm. The free thought ranks
are being recruited greatly by this mans
tactics. No man or woman was ever made
good by force. 1t has been tried too often
and failed. 1t is too late in the day for
Mr.. Comstock to get his gospel siutfcr.by-
law and his injector of righteousness to
work. cause is in the last stage of ex-
tinction when it must call on the arm of
the law to enforce its DEGREES. An honest
cause, jus, question, does not ask for
help from the blue-coated policemen. 1t
stands on merit alone. Note how the abo
lition cause grew. The Society for the
Suppression of Vice and Sin has accom-
plished nothing for good, but much for the
bad. 1t has, however, earned the title of
the prince of prosecutors and prosecutors.
Never was there more contemplate set
of little fellows rafting around in high
places than these specimens of little things.
Down with the curtain. Exit Comstock.
John G. Palmer.
Welsh Run, Pa,
Francis B. Livesey.
Sykesyille. Md.