The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-05
MY LIFE WORK
What | Have Done and What | Shall Con-
tinue to Do.
BY ANTONY COMSTOCK.

am asked to give my opinion Of GER
tain matters connected with the suppress
sion OF vice in our country-whether the
public conscience is dead to the work, to
what extent vice is increasing or de-
creasing among US, and wherein earn
est men and women may do something
toward stamping out moral plague spots
without recourse to such fire scattering
measures as to evil they are designed TO
destroy.
To begin with, I think vice in its
most Objectionable form IS being sue
cessfully warred upon IN the United
States. The evil IS confined within mar
rover limits and the wretched creatures
whose sorldly gain is in the moral deg
radiation OF humanity are not able 70
ply their trade, whatever It be. I'm the
open light OF day-that is. speaking gem
orally. Men who work actively for the
suppression Of vice can remember when
the traffic in vicious literature, I'm the
tools OF infamy and the paraphernalla OF
wickedness was as unresuained as the
apostle Of evil could himself wish. To-
day all that IS changed. Since the or
CARNATIONS now established In all our
large communities 20 battle against ev-
cry form Of human turpitude began their
work. a tremendous alteration in the
sense Of communities themselves with
reference to social evils has been affect
ed To-day men are not proud Of being
sinners. Literature that never was any
thing but the catechlsm OF Satan Is not
purveyed in public. Resorts IN which
youth became old in sin and where vir-
tue was a synonym for contemplate weak
ness are not recognized officially. or
course. we have not all become saints in
this republic. But We have come 10 see
that. merely from the selfish point OF
view. # pays 10 stamp out sin.
To say that youth Of both sexes are
the victims Of satan's propaglndists IS
merely a repetition OF what all fathers
and mothers ought 20 know, although
many Of them act as II they did not. l
have had occasion TO act in case
which IS typical OF the interest every
parent has in the suppression Of vice.
One morning. having boarded a Sum-
nit train, / observed several young
lads standing on the platform OF one
OF the cars. A boy I'm the group hand
ed 10 another something he had been
reading-something which II required
no very experienced eye TO seeAwas not
III 10 be read.
Now. look at that" said No. ? 70
No. l. fishing another publication from
his pocket and handing It to his COM
panion.
asked 10 see the occasion OF this
bv-plav and was shown. as / anticipated
a most pernicious and filthy spaci-
men OF English composition in the
shape Of printed poem. Other varie-
ties of the same evil type were handed
me by tho rest OF the boys. One OF
these youths was a student IN New
York lawyers office; two others went
10 school in Newark. / made 1t my
business to visit that school and have
a private talk with every boy there.
whereupon I discovered that all Of
them. without exception, had been
reading this pernicious matter. l FUR
Their ascertanod that girls in that
same institution whose ages ranged
from sixteen 10 nineteen years, were
the possessors Of more OF the stun
two. indeed. having made copies OF II
and distributed the same among their
companions These copies mad been
made in the school room during school
hours.
In tracing UP this matter II trans
nired that n Young fellow OF nineteen
had been supplying the school children
with these poIuting ware. and from
him n was learned that girl living In
an elegant house had for some time
been acting as chief distributor. She
in turn had got the things from
voung fellow employed by a manu-
featuring concern.
II reouired one days active work IN
Newark TO get 20 the source or TINS
stream NJ OWL The incident IS typi-
cal of too many cases. In the major
itv Of sucb incidents parents seem en-
tireIv oblivious % the damages 70
which their offspring are exposed. and
any work done Tor the suppression OF
vice nigh, as well be accomplished IN
African wiids for all interest they
manifest. Fortunately all fathers and
mothers are not so neglecttul.
Nor Is the evil confined to one To-
caIitv In New York city young men in
booksellers shops have facilities for pro-
pagatlng the germs OF evil. and IN an APP
Mailing number Of cases have taken ad-
vantage Of the fact. Reproductions OF
ancient nastiness have proved hishiy
dangerous I'm this way. what maslc
propertv there Is IN age that rehaers an
article wicked centuries ago Nlluou9'
though classic in TINS n'heteehth cen
,ur,, 40 not easily ascertainable to an
ordinary nina. - -. -. 60,
- 80, sin desirable. II Is a cur
ioms oor,nen,ary upon this theory that
~ '.,r,,,nus literature which has de-
s,'o g. ne through the centuries Il
NOT nearly so much in demand as the
other variety. -. ~
60 ,ho least OF the demoralzng in
an raS which suppressors Of vice have
10 contend with The labor entailed In
f ,e out the gentry whose revenue
is derived therefrom is always great.
Chicago and the West seem the places
n,hersiu this noxious poison thrives.
An ,rdus,rv in degrading publications re-
Gently took root there which for time
threatened our people with an inunda,ion
Of immortality more fearful tnan the