The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-02-16
CRUSADE AGAINST IZCE.

is SAACo0D1 AUAxxvOx kx(Es
y The Great Work of Anthony Com
J. stock has Brought Splendid
Results.
q Few Of those who have read of tn
. accomplishments of Anthony Com
stock in his crusades against vice
!, which have made his name known il
,, every section of the United States
: have any idea Of the history of tn,
man whose single-handed exertion:
:. have been largely responsible for the
: suppression Of obscene literature anG
photographs. He has been painted as
crank OF the weirdest sort, a notoriety
seeker, a CRATER using q cloak of
morality to enrich himself, and every
thing else wild and dishonest but he
is none Of these and to-day his posi-
ton is stronger and his influence more
potent than ever before
| His life has been threatened scores
OF times by desperate criminals whom
ne has deprived of their unlawful
gains and sent to the penitentiary.
Many attempts have been made to
stab, shoot and poison him; ground
glass has been scattered in his food:
internal machines have been sent him
through the mails and by express; he
mas been accused of unprintable de-
pravity; his honesty has been sneered
at ana MS every motive impugned, but
ne mas gone unscathed amid physical
nerlis and his reputation has escaped
the cleverly planned pitfalls designed
TO ruin him in the eyes of the people
and dissipate the enormous power for
good which he has built up by almost
a lifetime OF devotion to a high duty.
Guardian Of Youthful Morals. -.
Mr.. Comstock is best known for his
work in the prosecution of those who
make 1t a business to sell indecent
books, pamphlets and pictures to the
young, but as a matter of fact he is
equally active in crushing out other
forms OF vice. not only in New York,
nut IN the country at large. He travels
a great deal from city to city and has
been prominent figure in reform cru
sades in various sections of the coun-
try, and has frequently produced i'm
portant results while others supposed
to be helping him were engaged in
talking it over.
In recent interview Mr.. Comstock
ellis for the first time the history of
lis life and how he abandoned a prom
sing business career, in which he r
night nave made a comfortable for i"
une, to pursue a vocation which has G
lever netted him more than a living +
md has left him, in declining years, 8
TIL with mortgage of $4,000 on his i
louse at Summit, N. J. "
He Is sixty-one years of age and -
vas born in Connecticut. His brother h
amuel was killed at the battle of >,
'ettysburg and young Anthony took
is place until the end of the war. a.
returning to his native State he en- e.
sred grocery store in New Haven. d
Ut later went to Tennessee, where he a,
urchased supplies for the Lookout :,
fountain Institute. His health failed f.
nd he went to New York. landing h,
lere with $3.45 in his pocket. He cot "
1oD at $12 per week, but resigned "
10 take one at IS because he thought | h.
le new one offered better opportuni- 10
es Tor advancement. While eking out A,
existence on this salary he found r,
at the young men in the store were an
aders OF stories of the vtlest sort 3
ID ne made his first raid. He learned
at bookseller in shop few doors
ray was selling the books. Young u.
'mstock took policeman to the A.
ice and had the proprietor arrested NJ,
d IN the case involved resurrected -.
lat was dead letter law. lie won =
!. q
Progressing rapidly in the CONNER
/! world, the young man was soon
king $1,000 a year commissions rs a u
esman, but his adherence Of vice X
in nowise abated. He found a y
n named Simpson trading in OBJ II
ne literature and told policeman
troubles. Instead of arresting the
q the policeman warned him to r
out, and that was the pivot on
ch the life Of the young reformer
ned. He had the policeman dis
sed for the bit of treachery and 4
papers began to take notice. They
ed why he did not 60 into Nassau
et and proceed against the omen
ators OF the law there. Mr.. Com a
* answered the question by going,
all sides illegal publications were .
My for sale, and on March 2. 1872. 60
n he was but twenty-eight years an
he caused the arrest of seven ~
!. The fruits Of this were the sun Rf1
sion Of 1859 different books. the Do De-
ing Of three publishing houses. the fchh
lscation of $4,000 worth of plates on!
engravings from one man in o.!
,klyn, the selling Of $4,000 worth
'lates and books from a man in
haitian, together with six tons OF
'otyped plates from his printer.
the destruction Of $4,000 worth Of
ID books belonging to still another
All Of this was accomplished bv
Comstock. without any assistance
ever from organization or com
se.
He Found Good Angel.
had started to buy home and
paid $500 down on 1t, but giving
'rtsage for the rest, he used ali
'uld save from his salary to carry ~
8 crusade. He was firm believer
aver and he believed that it was
aswer to his supplicatiops that