Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-19
Thursday, September 10 1907.
THE POST CARD EVIL

We are heartily in sympathy with
the sentiment expressed in the fol-
lowing editorial taken from the Mil
waukee Sentinel, milestone John ito
the contrary not withstanding. 1t is
the intention of all postmasters in
Wisconsin, to watch all post cards
passing through their office in or out.
with the hopes that they can prevent
this evil.
In the course Of their discussion
Monday evening, the pOStmasterS of
Wisconsin touched on what they Justly
termed a great and growing evil, and
their statements concerning it are
worthy Of attention.
The evil decried by them is the OBJ
scene or suggestive post card, and
each of the several officials who spoke
on the subject declared that the send
ing of this improper matter through
the mails is on the increase. One
postmaster declared that tourists. in
stead of sending the post cards Show
ing scenery and points OF interest in
the cities which they visit, are more
likely to send the suggestive cards,
and another said that he had been
obliged to have the men clerks in his
office censor the cards, as some of them
are SO indecent as to be unfit to pass
through the hands of the women en-
plOyeS,
That the postmaSters are entirely
right can be readily demonstrated by a
glance at the post card collection in
almost any small shop. Here will be
found, Of course, a collection of cards
bearing pictures of public buildings,
monuments and places Of interest, but
also will be found collection of cards
depicting more or less undraped fe-
males; suggestive scenes or even, 10
some cases, thoroughly obscene pict-
uTeS and legends. In addition will be
found many SG-called Ecomic" cards.
which while not obscene or suggestive
are designed to vitiate the popular
taste both in regard to art and hui
NOR.
The use Of the picture post card has
been sanctioned by the government
largely on the ground of it's edu-
cative value. 1t was wisely deter
mined by the heads Of the department,
that the dissemination of cards repre-
Senting places of historic interest or
spots which the tourist and sight seer
always visit would be of distinct value
to stay at home people, broadening
their sphere in degree and bringing
TO them sights and scenes which it
would be impossible otherwise for
them to enjoy.
But certainly the hastily suggestive
opI or tha cord ~
ures-alleged to be funny-can have
no value, educatiye or otherwise
They certainly can not cultivate a
taste for the beautiful and they GER
tainly can have a degenerating effect
on the person who sends them as well
as the one who receives them.
The suggestions of the poStmaSterS
as to checking the evil were vague.
OF course, under the provisions of the
postal laws, the improper cards, when
discovered, are sent to the dead letter
Office. But this branch of the postal
business has grown to such proper
tionS that it is impossible to detect
every improper card, and many of
them daily pass through the mails
despite the watchfulness of the of
ticials. Schemes of censorship were
advanced, but none of them seems
practicable at this time.
There is however, this feature
about it, and it is one which should
appeal TO the dealers who provide this
trash for transmission through the
mails. If the complaints continue
to increase or if the evil shows no
signs of abatement, the entire post
card scheme, so far as illustrated
cards are concerned, could easily be
stopped by an order of the depart
ment, prohibiting any Illustrated card
from transmission through the mail
This would strike blow at the post
card industry which it could i'll afford
to sustain.
The dealers have the matter in
their own hands. Just 50 long as
meretricious cards are offered for sale.
the public, or certain proportion of
it, will purchase them and send them
through the mail Obviously, when
the dealer stops selling them, they
will cease TO be mailed.
1t would seem that the dealers
should observe the signs of the times
and of their own motion, put stop
to the traffic in these Objectionable
articles. 1t might mean a present
loss, but not nearly so great loss as
would result if the entire Illustrated
post card business should be placed
under the ban.