The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-01-20
TABOO ON
TURKEY AND
BUNNY HUG
THE LITTLE E MINISTER"
GOES CUNNING FOR RAG
TIME FOLK

An audience that filled every inch
Of space in the new NJ. +. church,
South, sunday night heard Rev.
Ahernqlly discuss modern ragtme
as it i"ted to public morals. lie
said IN part;
Ragtme Ideals.
A nation can never rise above its
ideals. Public life in its various
manifestations is hut the reflection Of
the ideals of that age. Our moral
status Is reflected in the books we
read, the songs We sing and the
pleasures we participate III. This be-
ing true it is not amiss that we seek
to ana Use some of the forces that are
at work today aud are moulding the
life Of our people.
Ragtlme Songs.
Music forms no small part OF the
Influence that mouds public opinion
and shapes the destiny of nations ana
individuals. 1t Is language of de-
lightful sensations, far more eloquent
than words; it breathes to the ear
the clearest ntonations. 1t touches
and gently agtatos the agreeable and
sublime passions; it wraps us in
melancholy, elevates MS in JOY and
field Of carnage and blood beaten
army has. tnrned back to the conflict
at the sound of their battle hymn.
We recall tonight the strains OF the
lullaby which our mothers croned to
us as W. driftod away to the heauti-
ful land Of nod What contrast are
such SONGS to the vulgar ragtime
which we are singing today. How
degrading to hear some sweet girl
voice tril ing the seductive strains of
"Everboy's Doin It "Call Ne Up
Some Rainy Afternoon "Grizzly
Bear yet these vile and suggestive
songs are heard in our bes homes
Children are post graduates IN rag
time tunes and dances 9efore they
can sing a hymn Or repeat the Lords
prayer The Turkey" has tiotted
over the ten commandments, and the
'Grizzly' bear has squeezed the life
out of Gospel ideals
Rag Time Dances.
George l.. Morrill,, of Minneapolis,
in a recent magazine article has been
of material assistance to me in
formulating a sort of thesis on the
late rag-time dances. No one objects |
to the primitive dances such as
Miriam led in celebrating the triumph |
Of the Israelites, but YOU may be
sure that when the prophecies seized |
a timbre and began the dance that
she did not seize husky Israelitish |
warrior and do the Boston pip, when |
Jfptha S daughter met her victorious |
father returning from the field Of
battle she was accompanied by maid
ems who danced for JOY. but they had
rc masculine escorts with which to |
perform the vulgar TANGO.
The world has danced since the
morning of creation when the morn
ing stars sang together and the sons
Of men shouted for joy
Nature dances in sunbeam ana
shadow, wave and rivalet, leaf ana
flower Animal life capers, gambols
and dances to and fro with no def |
mite obje.t but happiness.
There have been religious. nil tary
and festal dances which have beel |
hcathful TO the body pleasant to the |
eye ana harmless TO the soul but they |
We're not even related to the vulgar
dances OF today.
The "Bnnny' hug is libel on the
rabbit tribe and ought to be relegated |
10 the alfalfa pach. The Grizzly is |
an insult to that dignifled beast ana |
ought TO be banished to the tall I'm
ber The Turkey Trot" ISLANDERS