The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-03-31
WHY STOP AT THE STAGE.

We are pleased to notice the interest
I which some Of our Catholic exchanges
| take in the publication of the stage;
| Several Priests, too, have eNpresseu
! themselves quite freely respecting
"Sapho" and other immoral plays now
| on the stage. A Cleveland pastor SAID
/ in a recent sermon tat the ultimate
effect of such plays is to Increase I'M
| morality and to destroy virtue and m
/ nocence." Further, he said that mas
much as the immigration laws bar the
! physical leper from the United states,
| they should be framed so as to bar the
actress from abroad who comes to this
| country with her immoral plays, the
effect of which is to spread spiritual
leprosy. Republic.
Now that the vile "Sapho" is in a fair
way of being driven from the New
York stage, it may we'll be asked why
stop at "Sapho," or, for that matter, at
many other forms of moral degradation
with which New York is reeking?
1t is a notorious fact that ''sapho" is
not the worst of many plays that have
been presented to the public of the me-
tropolis of late; nor, indeed, can it be
said to be worse than other PLAYS now
however, that the managers of Miss
Nethersole have not the same pull as
some of their contemporaries, and, con-
sequently they have her signaled out
for punishment which, although de-
served, is invidious just the same.
Worse than the production Of such
plays as 'Zaza," "Sapho" or the like
Rf nj fair
government which makes their produc-
ton possible.
While we may, with the Republic,
applaud the few Priests and Catholic
papers that have expressed themselves
quite freely on the latest phase of the
atrical vileness in New York, we would
much prefer to see a stern and resolute
condemnation of the deadened moral
sense which has tolerated the dens of
inlquity that abound in New York.
The exposures OF moral rottenness
and corruption that are coming out of
New York are simply appalling. So far
the Catholic Church has held itself at
a. distance from the crusade for the
overthrow of vice in New York, justi-
flying itself, no doubt, on the plea, not
altogether grohndless, that politics have
frequently been the motive of such eX-
posures. But recent developments in
New York would make it appear that
the best elements of citizenship are
united to purge the city of vice and
crime, and this, too, regardless of po-
litical bias-for the partizan non-Rep-
ublicans and Democrats, as well as in
dependents are at one in this effort. Can
the Church afford to look with ildiffer-
ence upon such a movement? No one
doubts but that single word from re-
sponslble ecclesiastical authority and
every official responsible for the tolera-
ton and protection of crime would be
brought to book.
We very much regret to see that the
st. Patrick's day banquet in New York
was made the occasion of a defense of
the people who are charged with pro-
tecting and tolerating vice in New
York We deplore the unfortunate fact
that the speaker, Mr.. Keller, the presi- /
dent of the Democratic club. thought
the occasion opportune to vicieusly at
tack the clergymen who are leading
the crusade for decency in the first
city of the land, for we cannot forget
that among those men are the Pautist /
Fathers, Priests so far above Mr.. Keller !
in moral appreciation that his words
can only have value because of his as
sociations.
In giving countenance to Mr.. Keller |
in mis- attacks upon any moral move /
rnent in which the Paulist Fathers are
those whom he represents