The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-18
A SEVERE INDrorMrNT.


 New Engiapders as an exceedingly ante-profane kind of people in their speech We hardly think of them as q people who swear like troopers. as the saying is: hence. the following letter to The Hartford Times comes as something If surprise. and 1t ex- plains itself. It was addressed to the Editor of The Times. and Is as fol- lows:
 Will you permit an observing trav- cling man. whose lot has been cast for the past twenty-five years in the a passing criticism upon the customs and habits of the people of this grand old Commonwealth--rny native State? My y9ntn x, and ySnng ga manhood a,ss a wss cent to this capital city.
 Returning here after an absence of these years I am deeply impressed with with what appears to me to be
 Profanity appears to me to be the crowning disgrace of the present gen eration. On the streets, in the count sret lo say. private homes. I hear would there in . month, And. mark f sds h the psa ana m
  circumstances. means an imnediate apology. or a whipping on the spot
 The police record in many of those swearing in the presence of ladies.
 In offering this criticism I would not make 1t appear that the men ana youths of the. South are cleaner, bet native State. But in this respect must confess that the difference is go marked as to be actually painful. pfSiess psndf am to PTesssa eaPl astsntioa oa' to
 am satisfied that If the press would ring the changes on this evident grow ing and foolish and senseless evil # would In measure at least correct the matter among the more thought full. Thanking you for your .antici- self. The Wanderer.
 Instead of denying the facts. or talk ing issue with its correspondent The Times has a lengthy editorial In which 1t admits the charges made, and ad- mits that they are substantially true. After dwelling on the points set out in the letter The Times concludes:
 We are moved to say these things from a former resident of Connecti- cut, who has come back to the State and has been shocked by the coarse cry hand. Every protes, of this kind against the habit. which Is most dis- creditable to the American people, IS useful, because it Is the toieration of persons to whom 1t Is objectionable, which Is largely responsible for the increase In the evil Unless something is deRs to pgt s,sop ts this a%fui now going on all over the country, we shall presently obtain the reputation of being the most foul-mouthed nation for some centuries has belonged to the people of the flight little Island. from which the first settlers of New Eng land came nearly three centuries ago.
 The Times is not exactly fair in it's comments. It admits the soft im- of eThe Wanderer." but endeavors to make his remarks apply to the entire country. whereas the writer distinctly instituted a compar- ison between his own State of Com neeticut and the South which was very decidedly in favor of this section. And what he says of the Southern people Is the exact truth. Our men are not free from profanity, and some of them will ''cuss a few when they feel disposed. but as an almost uni versal thing they do not use profane or indecent language in the presence of women. That Is a fault that must be confined to very limited number of Southern men.
 That a Connecticut man who has spent a quarter of a century in the South should, on returning to his na- tive State, be both astonished and shocked by the habitual and indiscrim- mate profanity of his home people is significant: T hear more of 1t in a single day (here) than I would there in a month." is a compliment to the South and an indictment of Connecti- cut, and in later issue The Times l tells of conditions in Hartford and adds these remarks:
 In our opinion the time has come | when the city authorities should make | an earnest effort to suppress the nuls- l To induce them to take the necessary | action all those who are conscious of | the evil and are offended by it should | bring their influence, to bear upon the l mayor of the city, the chief of polles | and the judge of the police court to | compel decency in this matter. If eY- ery citizen, and especially the women, | who are involuntary listeners to the | vile conversation that is now habltual | with so many of the young men of the | town, would write letters to the mayor | of the city and the commissioners ot | of the annoyance, and demanding pro- | lection from it. they would not only | benefit themselves but would render a | public service The chief of police | should call his whole force before him | and instruct them to be as careful in | repressing improper talk on the streets | as they are in dealing with any other | kind of indecent conduct. The care- l less offender should he warned. and | repetition of the offense should cause | he foul-mouthed person to be arrest The very first thing the head of the police department should do will be to | Impress upon the policemen them selves the necessity of deeorous 1 speech There can be no real clean l ng up" until the sense of what Is | leeded becomes general. The fathers | and mothers who are now toleratlng | he use of coarse and rough language | y their young sons must be awakened 1 lity and regard for the rights of oth- ITS by their children, and employers | nay properly discriminate against the | users of profane and indecent | language
 All of which Is respectfully submit ed.
 Eyan a nraauu,ahlv ,1-aII in Rn-r,aa |