The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-15

expression OF popular Ideals. And the
kind OF Americans who cXpatrate them
selves in order to revel in an unpuri-
tanic 10y Of living tend to reconcile
one with IT. But there is u distinctly
bad side TO it--u side that makes one
| sympathze with those who 20 abroad
for the purity OF their French accent"
The bad side OF II Ia when it be
comes a profession. a trade. club,
threat and n private and dirty way OF
making a living. 1t, Is only in America
that such thing exists. It IL only IN
New York that IL has blossomel into
run and poisonous etlloresccnCe.
The other day--you have read the
story-o man wrote book; 1t was
good or II was bad; II was antngonistis
to the Puritan spirit or 1t was---likssl
MOL Flanders"-a melancholy illustra y,
I ton OF that spirit but what happened :,
was significant. The law OF the land,;
said nothing to It ut all, having moth y,
ing at all 10 say. The book went it's,
way OF publication. II was sold and'>,
read Law went about tia business Of
arresting grafters, murd.rers bad h,is-,
bands and the tragic and disastrous low :.
ers who go about the streets shooting
each other. Law. having nothing to do
with that book. did nothing. =
Then what happened was 30 extraor>r'
binary one can find y comparison only
ia ths Venetian days OF cloaked spies
and delators. a fat and hairy man:
privately u citizen. took the publlshei%
% the book and locked him UP in n cell
humid straw. jug oc water. barred
window, q mouse Ia tame. The harry
man was Anthony Comstock: the pub.
Usher Of the book was Mitchell Ken.
nerley. You know the result; the pub.
fisher was freed by a jury OF untainted,
ctiZers Has he any remedy againstl
the obese private citizen VINO put htnL.
IN cell with the jug or water and the.
humid straw and an insufilcientiy tanned
mouse? can't he turn round and put. =
the hairy man there? To both Ques-
lions: No. Anthony Comstocle IL an:
institution. He has come up, like q.
toadstoo IN tho shade OF the Puritan
principle. lie has arrogated to himself
that power which i'll every other civ
llized country IL kept carefully in the
hands OF the law. And & is merely be
cause he Is trading in the name OF the
Puritan ideal that lie is permitted So
carry on his trade Of private scavenrer
You say the work has TO be done:
Then the State should do It.
You may not approve OF burning
witches: too look upon 1t without an
proval; but when Connecticut burned
her witches she dd X sobcrly Ivy proc
"Ss OF law. and Il was = very different
thing from the lynchors' way II tek-
ms out an untried negro and hurninG
him 10 make a Southern alcoholday
Within the law there IS no plac.
for Constock. That sort of person
10 an unscabbed sore on the fair body
OF the Puritan ideal. The ideal
10 well enough so long az It walks hand
in hand with the law. You may MOI
believe the state should act as censor
over the books and plays and pictures of
the republic: YOU may believe !,
1shoTld, hut no one. unless lie squats
among the hopeless idiots, IL willn.
20 give this 'nonstrous power To a SELF
appointed censor. who makes living A.
the game
PuT!tanism is always getting knocked
about tho ears for crimes of which il
cannot De held guilty by fair minded
people, The worst crimes are com.
United in its name by the nyms and pis
tots and ragged hanEerson Of tho civic
army II the laws are too blue =
and too PUr!taUic they should lie
knocked on the head II they are sim
profitable they should he enforced h-
the proper authOr.ties-they should rot
lie club. menace. "A means OF livel-
hood in the hands Of private citizens. +,
: no matter how fat or hairy they may h.
And the biggest reform New York
: private sca,engers and open to the lichr
or day their dark and secret arChives
l II u Government censor IL needed
there should be Government censor;
n the state needs one there should n,
n state censor--a city censor IL you will
: but 10 leave this authority IN tho
: hands ~ any private citizen. whos>
, taste lies that way is Just rs sensible
, ~ Il Is Ia leave the administration of the
law to the light hearted lynchers
You may Eet Justice now and again.
You may ct injustice and personal
venge, and oil the lawless consequences.
1 But We have left. indecorously. James
: liazen Hyde on the platform; gracefully
: he waves his long white hands and his
jewels reflect the electric lights, and a.
3 we turn away we hear his high KEYED :.
silver voice--what he Is saying is:
, In America everything IL brutal ,,
!, just as there are BRUSH and violent
r changes OF temperature so there are
. brusk and violent contrasts of life:
= the lights and shadows clash. hut
l. France--ah, France is the land OF DELI
: cate shades, OF faint distinctions. ~
haif tones"
: All, France. where no Comstocks run
un'eashed, their noses IN the gutter
q where the American woman. weary ~
" leaning over like ,he tower 81 Pisa AMI
= never falling. may 20 ont and find
e what does lie call ia perfect en-
a Joymeut Of the lack of virtue" No;
= on the Whole 7 prefer being n moral
70 man. the more rigid outlinc OF the clean.
$ Pur!t0Ei' civilization.
Is a brave and stately tree. on'v
S thcio are TOO many toadstools EroVir@
4 IN IN, shade OF it. Too many sell-
a appointed, paid Censors sGuatting, Hike
20 Swift's YahOOS, IA the branches
, SECRET WITH HER To GRAVE