Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-29
DOWN WITH YELLOW IN PRINT
DIR. LoveIand DenOunces Filthy Paper
and COmmends Decent Press.

DIR. LoveIand DenOunces Filthy Paper
and Commends Decent Press.
At the First Methodist church Sunday
evening Rev. Frank l.. Loveand, pastor,
delivered a sermon on The Problem in
Yellow" relative to the influence Of pub
lie literature, books and newspapers. on the
minds and morals Of citizens, which was one
Of a series Of popular addresses on TWEEN
tieth Century Problems"
This is the age when everybody reads;
the high and low, illustrious and obscure,
collegian and mechanic, all are reading
said DIR. Loveland. In the poorest fam
lilies we find books--of some sort. solomon
in his day said OF the making OF books
there is no end II such statement
were justified then what can be said of the
statement now? The times are given to
books They are the cheapest commodity
in the market.
THE term yellow as applied to certain
newspapers and books, is entirely appro-
pirate. It is suggestive of things perilous
and contagious. The plagueship and the
pesthouse always fly the yellow flag. I'm
less idiotic or insane we shun both. All
sensible folk fee from contagion.
Literature that bears the yellow signal
seems, however, to lure and entice. The
cheap novel is as destructive as cheap
whisky. Some books are more dangerous
to boys than some saloons. Millions Of
boys are feeding their minds on vile, rot
ten and suggestive stories that breed
crimes, and there are, II possible, even
worse books finding their way into schools
through the work OF vile vendors of evil
stun.
Public libraries may be public bene-
7 ha
understood as criticizing them, but the re-
ports Of librarians challenge the attention
OF thoughtful people. From the report Of
the Omaha librarian we learn that for the
last three years more than IS per cent Of
all books taken from the public library
were books of fiction
THE newspaper is one OF the greatest
agencies in the world for the veal Of hui
mainly, II true to It's high calling, but
when a newspaper becomes yellow It Is an
agency OF woe. believe in the newspa-
per. am a friend of reporters and I
would in no sense be a censor OF the press
II should be untrammeled, as I am con-
scious OF the power OF the press and Of its
great ability. 1t is the mighty photograph
that echoes the 10Y and the sorrow, the
glory and the shame OF the generation II
serves II shows the community, not as Il
should be. but as It is. The newspaper Is
not in business for its health any more
than a merchant.
1T suppose the average editor knows that
II he were TO print the grandest sermon
that ever fell from the lips OF Gold that no
% per cent OF professedly pious folks would
read IT, I suppose he also knows, or thinks
he does that a detailed account of di-
vorce case, or prize fight or murder trial
will cause a large majority OF the very
elect 10 pounce upon II like hungry hawk
upon half-grown chicken and eagerly de-
your 1t.
'In view Of this we should be charitable
and careful in any criticism of the press,
as a rule, but when we see the mighty
power Of the press how we sigh that not
more papers would be mothers instead
OF daughters OF public opinion for right
eousness; that more space might be de-
voted to deeds Of righteousness and less to
deeds OF evil; that more papers might keep
their columns free from dirty and filthy
advertisements that UNIT them for a place
on the reading table of the decent home
that less OF the unproven and disproven
gossip of the gutter should be quoted as
news; that the day might speedily come
when the sad believer in human deprayity
will no longer find his best argument for
his belief in a political campaign journal
Let us not forget that these things we
deplore belong TO the yellow In Journalism
and must pass away in proportion as the
public and Christian conscience shall rise
and demand better things
Already the leading editors in all our
cities are making their journals to be
preachers Of righteousness and these should
have the support OF every good citizen and
OF every Christian church. The press as
well as the pulpit should be conservators
OF all that IL good and noble In state as
we'll as church. The pulpit OF today should
be in hearty accord with the press when
It stands for the clean in civic and political
life"
| Dian,opHs- Esvybfnpev a 30, ~,