Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-31
ADDRESS BY ANTHONY COMSToCK.


hpDnLoo u hNiiiosi oonoio on
Secretary of New York society Speaks of
The Three Great Crime breeders.
Anthony Comstock. secretary Of the
New Yoik'Society for tho Suppression
of Vice, addressed good-sized meet
ing, considering the weather. in Han
over Presbyterian Church Thursday
on Foes to Public Morals. Alfred
Gawthrop, president OF the Young
Mems Christian Association, presided
over the meeting which was under the
auspices of the Citizens League and
the Law and Order Society. In open
ing his address, Mr.. Comstook quoted
from the ninth chapter Of jeremiah,
where the women were exhorted to
noun for their destruction "for death
is come into our windows Z and is
entered into our palaces. to cut off the
children from without, and the young
men from the streets
The condition of affairs in society
wrupg out from Jeremiah this appeal
to women, and no man can look frankly
in tho face of public foes now, without
desiring to appeal to men as well as
women to mourn al the awful results
of the great crime breeders OF our time,
intemperarce, gambling and improper
reading. These three foes to public
morals, each has financial basis as an
apology. Those who are in the bust
ness are willing to divide with those
who make the laws the profits of the
nefarious traffic.
MIR. Comstock told Of finding 1863
publications of an improper character.
One man. learning that Mr.. Comstock
had charges against him, committed
suicide when he knew he was wanted.
From his place was taken $4,000
worth of plates, and his wife told MIR.
| Comstock that he had paid fortune
to the police to let him alone. Another
man fled when a warrant was in hand
for him and 10 tons of plates and books
were found. He fed South and died
within two weeks.
MIR. Comstock said that publishers of
vile books secure catalogues of schools
and seminaries and send their pub
locations to the students He saw the
need Of fighting this thing and
assisted in financial way by Morris
X. Jessup, was able to take up the
work. He seized nearly $50, 900 worth
of books, plates and paper, and since
that time and for % years has devoted
himself to the protection Of the in
tegiity Of the youth Of the land, a
grand constituency of 80, 0O0,O
Although his work has been marked
with difficulties, Mr.. Comstock said
that there is nothing grander than
standing for duty. He is the secretary
of the New York Society for the Pre-.
vention Of Vice, chartered in 1873, and
is also postofiice inspector. He SAID
that il an artist should paint three
pictures, one Of drunkard's home,
one Of gamblers home and one Of 9
libertine's home, they would be SC
much alike that you could not toll
which was which. Upon churches an6
Christian men rested the responsibility
for allowing to exist the vices which
bring these sad results.
The speaker told his experiences il
fighting gambling in New Jersey, Al
Coney Island, in Queens county ant
at Saratoga. At Monmouth Beach, fol
100 booths, the gamblers paid renta
of $1,000 an afternoon. They captured
New Jersey and in spite of objection
passed law in their interest over tn,
governors veto, and for year tn
State was in the gamblers hands. Blu
in response to public sentiment, tn
Legislature, at its next session 70
! pealed the law and New Jersey is free
AT Coney Island $1,000 was played
: on the races IN one afternoon. OF thi
amount. Mr.. Comstock estimated tina
, 70 per cent was money not properly Il
the hands of those who expended il
In spite Of the fact that local authori
! ties favored the gamblers, raid wa
: successfully executed and John Y
/ McKane was among those arrested
Again in Queens county, Mr.. Com
stock found local authorities In leagu
with the gamblers. but he mad
7 numerous arrests, although his life wa
: threatened. Before he went to Saratog
. to root out gambling, he made his wi
/. and closed up his affairs. for he ha
y been warned that his blood would b
: split il be went there. The intiueut
: CT the gamblers affected one OF th
churches. He went about his invest
cations and lie time had public sent
. ment on his side. Through his diff
= culties there, he had reliance In God
y protecting care. Twenty-four arres
. resulted from his work.
The speaker held that the respons
y bility for religion. and morals rests q
all. When the saloon, the gamblir
2 den and the disorderly house al
u legalized, the citizen who pays 81
u taxes may be sure that they mean mo-
expenditures for courts, more prisoner
y more officials, more almshouses,
y larger potter's field, more misery, mo
q crime He urged his hearers to suylpo
u the local organizations that stand f
% purity.