Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-08
Miseellaneous Rsading.
DECLINE OF MORAL SUASIoN.
Philosopher Red Buck Wrestles With
Problems

Problems.
"Is moral suasion. q power Of the
lpast?" asked a thoughtful man when
he saw that Bishop Hall Of Vermont
had said in a sermon at Raleigh, last
Sunday, that prohibition Is a failure
and moral suasion the only remedy for
strong drink.
1.-The average man." asks himself the
lsame question every day. He wants to
know II times are changing. When he
thinks of the days of his youth-of his
training at home, at school and at
church and compares 1t with that Of
today-he wants to know II the times
are changing or II he is getting old.
Moral suasion was a great force twen-
ty years ago. Boys and girls were
taught that certain things were wrong
whether the laws said so or not. This
doctrine, except in the country, seems
to have died out.
The man who goes with the crowd
I-swims with saints and sinners
studying all sorts and conditions OF
men sees certain unmistakable signs
that promise i'll for the future. He
realizes that influences for good are
not as effective as they once were. The
reverence for woman, gray hair and
the man Of piety Is not as pronounced
in the south as 1t was two decades ago.
Indifference to the preachings OF the
minister of the gospel Is growing. The
law is appealed to now to do what
moral suasion once did. The man OF
unbiased mind will find, II he studies
conditions, that this is true here.
s"If the fakirs had known that they
were going to get such a send-off they
would have asked the preachers to de-
liver their sermons before the fair in
stead of after It," said a wag, last
Monday, when he heard Of the hot
roasts handed out to the parting
guests.
How many people in this communi-
ty believe that the scoring the midway
shows got here would have increased
their crowds and swelled their Golfers?
There are many who believe that
where one man would have remained
away ten would have gone out to see
what the preachers were talking about.
II certain ministers Of the city, In their
eloquent way, were to criticise a
French novel, calling it by name, 1t
would require a car or two to bring a
sufficient supply to town to meet the
demand.
Preaching is not as effective as 1t
used to be. The law has been resort
ed to-. While the learned divines pro-
claim about the curse of the midway
the shame of the city-such things
become more popular. 1t is argued
nowadays by fair people that the mid
way brings the crowd and the hveier
the sideshow the larger the gate re-
ceipts. The contention must be true;
the evidence appears to favor the
fakir. 1t is a fact that the largest and
most piebald midway ever seen IN
Charlotte was the one here two
weeks ago. and the crowds were tre-
mendous: the weather had something
to do with them but If the midway, In
all Of its glory, had not been there the
pumpkin and the cow would nave
gone unseen by thousands. There have
not been such throngs in Charlotte
before. Did the midway, with the
common, disgusting women and the
rascally fakir, attract the crowd? Can
any one say positively that 1t did or
did not? 1 can answer for myself.
lack much of being preacher, but
the midway hath no charms for me;
it has never appealed to me and 1t
never will, but there are others who
do like 1t or 1t would not exist. de-
plore the depravity Of person VINO
delights in seeing common men ana
common women, and, IL l were
preacher l should try to elevate him
by making my appeals to him and not
to the laws. The trouble Is not with
| the show, but with those who make 1t
possible. The midway woman disgusts
the right thinking person, and the one
who Is attracted by her must be reach
ed through the heart and not the
court. When William r. Hearsts pa
Ger, the Journal the American now,
first appeared conservative people call
ed 1t yellow and said 1t would not
prosper for the reason that 1t grati-
fed a morbid curiosity. The paper
has lived because of it's ability to un-
earth and hold before the public dirty
linen: it met a popular demand, and
if the American Is ever discontinued
II will be because the desire for such
ceases. If the midway passes 1t VIII
be when the people quit patronizing II
and when it fails to be profitable.
This is a peculiar age; the law Is
called upon to exert moral force, ana
in resorting to 1t the preacher admits
his weakness. Remove the midway by
law and the person who patronizes 1t
will gratify low desire in some other
way.
This is an age of lust and hypocrisy.
The man who sins and covers IL up Is
not contemplate in the sight OF the
world. A thief who steals without be-
ing exposed to the public, may remain
in society: the sin is in being found
out.
| Common honesty was at a premium
years ago, but very little stress Is put
upon it now: the man who lodges an
obligation is not considered in the
same class with the fellow who takes
drink.
Living beyond ones income Is the
greatest sin in Charlotte" said lead
ing merchant of the old school to me
one day not long ago. you have no
idea how many young people are six
months ahead of their salaries
This comes from a lust for some
thing that one cannot have by honest
effort.