The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1915-10-16
~ Waltz HUT

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nection Of Comsiock with the Rom
ish system Of oppression and per
secution. The authenticity OF
such alliance can not be doubted
by any reasonable and reasoning
person. This phase Of the matter
is what makes il important 10 The
Menace and its friends, and which
alone justifies the space given It
in a paper the sole mission Of
which is the defense OF America
against the dangers Of Rome.
Not without its weight az least
Of moral evidence is the resolution
adopted by the National Purity
Federation, in annual session, con-
demning the Comstock Law and
praying for relief from its evils,
which was cited in The Menace
last week. Here we have a great
body Of men and women of unim-
peachable character and lofty
purpose, devoted 20 the propagan-
da Of social purity, set against the
pretenscs of a single individual.
/ Is not this an influence impossible
20 ignore!
Men who knew Comstock
throughout his leprous life, resi-
dents Of his home town and per-
sons Of credibility. have testified
that from very boyhood he was
given to whisperless vices.
Comstock has been almost uni
versally condemned by the secular
press. Newspapers and magazines
Of the cleanest character and most
careful policy have denounced him
since first he entered the public
eye. Such journals never speak
with ulterior motive and never
without authority. And always
with a. view to the possibilities o.
a libel action, they never MAKE
specific charges without thought
fully providing themselves with
abundant proof.
Criticism Not Restricted
Il must not be supposed that
mordant criticism Of ComstocR
was confined to those papers thai
were attacked by him or such in
dividuals as he had involved in hi,
devilish snares. He was repre-
hended by the most respectable
element Of society, and publica
tions of the highest standing anC
widest influence united in his con
demnation. Even so staid and con
servstive a newspaper as the New
York Tribune, recognized organ o.
the ulta-respectable, characterized
him as a social pest and dubbed
him "the Mosquito Of Morality
! OF course this denunciation wal
not entirely unanimous; publica
tons as well as individuals can b,
deceived concerning a man s char
acter, and Comstock was an adep
at such deception. But the advers,
! attitude was so nearly universe
, that the exceptions are scarcely t,
, be considered.
William f. Lewis, editor anC
/ publisher Of the New York Morn
, ing Telegraph, than whom no MAJ
of my acquaintance has a NOR
rigid sense of justice, a man o
! the highest personal and bushes
repute, one not given to intemper
l ate opinion or impulsive expires
sion, and who, besides, has ha,
r every opportunity for knowint
the truth about Comstock, in
J personal letter says:
Your article about Comstocl
) Is very much what a thousand mel
E would like to write about him"
II is significant that never di,
Comstoek take legal action agains
4 those who charged him with tn
: most atrocious moral offenses o
l which man may be guilty, nor di,
! he ever enter a denial of such.
!. have myself repeatedly hurle
4 these charges at him in print an
sent him marked copies of the pS
pers containing them, inviting hir
to proceed against me under I'll
e law Of criminal libel-but alway
Z he sought safety in silence. 1t
incredible that any innocent pei
e son would remain passive unde
= such accusations.
= more To Follow"
) These things are offered merel
as points of general evidence. Tn