The Leon reporter., 1900-02-01

'IER fHtt tRSIA Z i I
twenty years Of the best of my life try
ing to get my religious associates to
treat criminals Of all sorts with kind.
ness, but in every instance they reward.
ed my efforts by threatening, persecu-
ting and prosecuting those whom moth
ing in the world but goodness and kind.
ness can save. The most Of religious
people are absolutely ignorant concern.
ing the causes Of evil in the world. Let
them go, as did, to the Overland Driv.
ing park, or to the gambling houses Of
Denver, and they will be convinced that
the gamblers Of this city can give them
some practical points in ethics and hon
or. They will be satisfied that the horse
racers, and prize fighters, and rum sell
lers, and gamblers, are not the most
dangerous men in the world.
| Ignorance and superstition are more
dangerous than all the gamblers Of the
world. You can protect yourself from
explosives, but who can shield himself
from the poison of slanderous tongue?
1T ls ignorance and superstition that
gives city councils, and public officers
more trouble than all other difficulties
combined. Every little egotistical up.
start, with less brain than an ordinary
flea, strives to dictate to the officers
what policy to pursue. With some city
parks are dangerous to society. With
others saloons threaten to overthrow
our civilization. Some think theaters
are degrading and demoralizing to the
young. The bicycle is condemned.
The public officers are bribed. Liberal
thinkers are threatened with expulsion.
The dance is running society. The card
party is corrupting. They all look over
the beauties and splendors of human
life, with all its fragrance OF flowers, its
majestic mountains, its laughing water.
falls, Its love and sympathy, its culture
and refinement, and see nothing but
self, and accept nothing but self, as the
supreme embodiment of all truth, intel.
ligence goodness and love.
"Men should have intelligence enough
to see that the world of to-day cannot
live like the world of a hundred years
ago. Fifty and a hundred years ago
men and women were compelled by the
force of circumstances to labor and toll
as labor and mechanical industries were
the only supports of home and child
hood. But how different it is now!
Schoois!in every section and universities
and educational institutions scattered
all about us, with millions of merchants,
doctors, editors, educators and mind
workers, the public park, the dance,
the theater, the card party, the mum.
erous forms of amusements and re-.
creating societies, haye become a
necessity. The danger to-day is not
in the amusements as we find them.
but the danger is in the superstitious
restrictions put upon the young,
thereby dwarfng their bodies and
running their minds. Our school bows
and girls should have all the amuse.
ments and wholesome entertainments
necessary to keep their minds cheerful
and healthy while they are striving
for an education. Dancing is harmless,
card playing is means Of recreation,
the theater is wholesome diversion,
the public park, with its manifold beau.
ties and attractions, all help to make
young people strong, and the old from
getting Older
"What course should we pursue? Shall
we drive the gambler, rum seller and
sport from our city? Would this keep
them from inhabiting other cities and
from annoying other citizens? If all
cities would drive them out, would this
prevent rum selling, gambling, and
sporting, and would this save the
transgressor? Look at it in the light
of intelligence and reason. If you
drive them out one.half of your
citizens will follow. You would be
surprised to see the broadcloth in this
procession. You would stand chaerined
to see splendid houses deserted. Gam.
blers are not self.supporting. They
thrive upon the business of Denver.
Let Denver cease to furnish them bust.
ness and they will need no law to
compel them to depart.
Market street thrives because food
is prepared in other and more respect.
able parts of the city. Sporting girls
can exchange beggar's rags for silk.
Beggars and tramps do not ruin our
girls. They are tempted by. dollars
and cents, and dollars and cents, are
not found in beggars' pockets. Most