New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-18
BILLBOARD HORRORS.

The hving phaIanXes of reform are again
breaking their battle front against the bill
boards. This time hostiities have been preclp-
itated by Secret Service Sam" and "a Million
aires Revenge" two profound, wildly drawn
revelations of superhuman craft. vilIany and
degradation. The realism of these productions
finds its way into print and posters which
shackle the Juvenile attention with hypnotic
power and wiring pennies even from those
youths and maidens to whom cigarettes and
gumdrOps are dearer than life itself. The
WOmanS Health Protective Association or
Brooklyn has swooped down upon both the post
ers and their pastors, charging that the former
incite to crime and the latter are active accom-
plices In the transgression. The courts are
called upon to expunge the thrilling chrOmos or
high and low life from the highways and byways
of the eastern borough. that boys and girls may
sin no more.
We have sundry fears to the merits OF the
reform. OF course its motive is tie best, but
how about its means? Secret Service Sam is,
for the immature mind. the advance agent Of
real life" and he refuses to he suppressed by
eXpurgated billboards. His fame is enduring and
will spread from schoolroom 70 schOolrOom, IN
spite of Virtue at the press. And tenyearoldS
there will always be who will beg or borrow their
mammals pennies in order to drink in the mys-
ferries of life from the gallery. For the next
few thousand years ut least some or these gar
lery gloaters will he perverted by the ideas such
plays give them. just there Will always be
drunkards long tea ana ice cream soda are
on the market. But the vast majority Of boys
and girls who visit melOdrama soon learn 10
love it only for its thrills; its pictures are not
thought of photographs, and It's heroes soon
cease to be models. To the siXteen-year- Oid
Secret Service Sam is still tried and trusted
stage friend but he has changed his role. Once
a serious actor, with marvellous power Of ex-
pressing the deepest human truths, he has now
become IN indirect comedian, whose heartrend-
ing shrieks and terrifying fllppancy with blank
cartridges fill our Juvenile adults with the phil
0sOphical humOr of diSil!usOnment.
We would not make ont the case of the bill
board reformers TO be altogether wrong. but
wouldn't it be more strategic 10 aim at the
proper control Of sensational shows and the
sane education of children? AS the establish
ment of a melodramatc censor would be hazard
Gus. the needs Of the present emergency might
readily be met by an intelligent exercise of police
powers. But far more valuable than any such
supervision would be the instruction and advice
of school teachers ana parents. Probably nine
tenths Of the bad effects of mclodrama are being
daily counteracted by this means PlaygolnS,
after all is a small factor in child life compared
with the influences of home school and play
mates. With a little more systematic effort
these latter might reduce the harm OF Secret
Service Sam to an Inevitable minimum. Among
other devices parents might. perhaps sterli2e
the world famous detective by allowing their
children to gaze upon him. II he ceased to be
forbidden fruit all his mystery and part Of his
charm would fade away.