The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1906-03-02

UC " kth( ~cSs SSes
In nearly every American city
there are ordinances against swear
ing i'm the public streets, and in
other places of public resort where
profane and obscene utterances are
likely to offend ears not trained to
these harshcr symbols of human
speech; yet it may be- doubted if
these laws are anywhere enforced in
such way a. to realize the good aims
IF those who framed them At the
moment newspapers In several
American cities are waglng war
against the habit Of swearing in
public places, particularly III the
in the public streets, and in some
instances reasonably good results
have been attained. The crusade
should be continued until men are
trained In the use of more decent
phrases. Profanity may at times
be bodied forth by some eloquent
defender Of the art OF swearing"
as the fine flower of our common
speech, but the promiscuous use OF
vulgar phrases in public places,
where delicate ears bend perforce to
hear them, can not be justified upon
any rational ground.
Vast sums Of money are annually
spent in an effort to keep the cutters
and the surfaces Of streets clean;
we wage perpetual warcfare on sus-
pended particles Of dust in the
streets and the cleaying and con-
taminated moulds in the homes;
we seek to extermInate by every
means known To science the lnscc-
tivorous spreaders of contagion, and
otherwise fight the agencies which
seek mans physical undoing. Shall
we not also purge the air OF pesti-
lertial profanity? ShaD we not at
Hast protect the eaTF-Twomen and
children FROM speech and
the unspea.sse.. fisms of the
gutter? shan N1EHa fvenger the
street and leave vss tongue un-
secured and unclean mile the ears
of the gentle and the pure are still
exposed to the foul assaults Of the
blackguard' vernacuEir2
Newspapers are frequently criti-
cised for both the form and the
substance of matter printed from
time to time; yet the yellowest Of
yellow yarns, printed in the yellow
est of yellow papers, is as a rule,
infinitely more decent, both in
form and substance, than the ordi-
nary conversation of the average
worldly man. The fact is if any
newspaper should attempt to ac-
curately translate and print the un-
pruned, unexpurgated speech, III
ordinary circumstances, OF the av-
erage worldly man the issue would
90 no further than the postofiice,
and the editor, in a short while,
would probably be writing his lead
ers with sledge on the rock-pile.
OF course, men will never wholly
cease to swear but they can and
should cease To swear In public
places, and in the hearing OF those
offended by profane and obscene
utterances. The law penalties the
use of obscene language in public
places; but independent of the law,
above and beyond the law, there are
reasons which should impel men TO
refrain, in places of common resort,
from the use of words and phrases
which offend decent ears.
The crusade against promiscuous
swearing should result in good The
air above the streets should be kept
as clean and uncontaminated az the
the surface of the street; no man
should permit the streets to be clean
er than his tongue, cleaner than his
speech and thought. Things unfit
to print should ut least remain un-
said in public Thus, the limita-
tions observed by the average decent
newspaper may be accepted as a
safe guide for the average decent
mar, 10 far rs public speech, or
speech in public places, is concern
ed. Should the campaign result in
no other good it will probably serve
to impress upon promiscuous and
reckless swearers the simple truths
here put, and may be after a while
they will outgrow bad habit
New Orleans Times Democrat.