Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-20
Resolutions Against Indecent Dis
plays Favored by Convention
Chairman 0bStructs.
ANNUAL ELECTION is HELD.
The Rev. n. s. EldcrltIn Is selected rs
Notwithstanding Session DeNot-
ed 10 Sermon on Scitislincss.

The annual convention of Christian
Endeavor closed last evening; but not
In that peaceful. twilight calm That
has IN past years charac,erlzeu l's
closing moments. The convention was
agltated over the adoption-or rather
nom adoption-of set of resolutions
condemning the suggestive pictures
and cards in show windows and the
often Indecent displays upon theater
bin boards TO be noted in the larger
towns of the state, in common with
such exhibitions elsewhere.
A delegate from this city, early in
The evening, asked leave to introduce
resolutions relative to this matter, to
and the convention IN hearty accord
with him. Chairman Marks, however.
offered decided objections, as he claim
ed the resolutions should have been
presented at the business hour of the
meeting: furthermore, some of the
delegates had gone home and out OF
fairness to them this matter should
not be considered in their absence, and
besides 1t was "A purely local affair
anyhow, improper for consideration by
the Utah State Christian Endeavor
convention. 1t belonged more properly
ton, which had not seen fit to take
any action, or to the Salt Lake Young
Peoples Christian union, in the opin
ion of Mr.. Marks. Rev. r. S. Nicker-
son of Plymouth Congregational
church. and L. H. Page of the execu
tive committee of the State EndeaVor
union took decided exception to Chair
man Marks rulings. They held that
the convention had perfect right to
take up the question, whether the so
called regular hour for consideration
Of business matters had passed or not,
II 1t so decided. no matter what the
rhair might think in the premises that
the matter was germane for the CON
vention to consider-in fact, the times
demanded that some step be taken in
the line Of reform. The chair allowed
Delegate Jessup, who had. with Messrs.
Nickerson and Page, prepared the reso-
buttons, TO read tine same; and he read
ps follows:
THE RESOLUTION.
Whereas, public bill boards in the
various cities and centers of popula-
lion of this state are to a great extent
given up to displays not only border
Ing on indecency. but at times actu
ally portraying the immoral, and
Whereas, The windows of many OF
our stores are filled with pictures and
postal cards of an highly Objectionable
character. and
Whereas. The suggestiveness of
these things tends directly to the de-
moraiizauon of our boys and girls,
filling their minds with debasing
Thoughts, and
Whereas, Such things mean an I'M
settling of moral standards, even
among Older people, and a lowering
generally of public morality and ideals
Of virtue and
thorties have, through neglect. allowed
these debasing exhibitions to gradually
become lower and lower in tone until |
The sense of public sentiment is shocked |
beyond suffrance, therefore, be II
Resolved. that We. the Christian |
Endeavor societies of Utah IN conven- |
ton assembled, do hereby emphatically |
protest to the authorities of our NUM- !
ripalities against further liberation of |
these glaring indecencies. and urge |
strongly suitable municipal action in |
restraint of such exhibitions. and de- |
mand their withdrawal from public |
view |
CHAIR OBSTRUCTIVE.
The chair was for insisting on shut
Ting off the whole proposition from |
consideration nolens volens: and he |
hung TO his position with bulldog ten
hcity, that the resolutions were out OF |
convention apparently was against him.
The protests of Messrs Nickerson.
Page and others We're turned down, al
though they claimed that the conven-
lion was not responsible for the alb
'ence of departed delegates, who ought
10 have remained. and demanded that
the convention be allowed to handle the
matter to suit itself Rev. Nickerson
appealed from the decision of the chair:
but, 1t seems he had waited few mo-
ments after the final decision during
which the chair called for an adjourn
s,ent. Chairman Marks held the appel
liant was too late with his appeal and
although there was no motion from the
house to adjourn, he cut the knot by
adJourning the convention sine die |
holding the program had been COM
pleted.
Considerable feeling was manifested
afterwards by delegates who claimed |
the chairman had gone wrong; but he
held he was correct number of |
delegates, however, voiced their senti- |
ments by signing their names to the |
resolutions which will be handed over |
TO the new secretary.
AZ the afternoon session. the follow |
ing othcers were chosen: President the |