The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-10-21
An Appreciation
Of Anthony
CO|nstock
From the Outlook
From the Outlook

Anthony Comstock, who recently
died at the age of II at his home In
Summit, New Jersey, had long been
conspicuous figure in American pub
lie life; ridiculed and caricatured by
some, although honorcd and Endorsed
by men of the highest standards. He
was a Connecticut man by birth ana
graduate of the New Britain high
school. While he was still at school
his brother was killed at Gettysburg,
and Anthony Comstock at once vol
unteered to take his brothers place
in the ranks; and in the ranks heI
stayed until the close of the wall
when he came to New York and be
came a salesman In a leading dry
goods establishment. II was at this
period of mis- life that the sight of an
| obscene book passing from hand to
hand among his fellow clerks awoke
his disgust and indignation and open
ed his eyes to one of the most hide
Gus trades in the world. Learning
that the book was procured from q
dealer in New York, he sumoned T
policeman and went to the place
where it was sold.
This was in March 1872 and II
was the beginning Of many crusade'
of a similar kind. Within a few hours
Mr.. Comstock, who was man OF
tremendous energy and dauntless cour
J age, had secured seven arrests OF the
sellers of vile books and pictures. Az
that time the trade in pornography
while not as obvious as In Paris CT
as II has become of late years In
Berlin, was a large and successful in
dustry to which the police paid small
attention. Obscene books and pic
lures were offered to boys and youn
men in shops and by push cart dea'-
ers selling fruit and nuts In the stree.
The post Office was used PRACTICAL
without hindrance; and the school
of the country We're accessible to IN
most infamous set Of scoundrels VIII
have ever preyed upon boys and girls
Anthony Comstock dedicated hir
self to the work of breaking up thi
infamous traffic and secured the bacl'
ing Of Mr.. Morris X. Jessup. Within
three months more than a hundred
thousand dollars worth Of obscerd
things had been seized and tons OF
stereotype plates destroyed. the
attack was new and startling. The
purveyors of corruption became alarm
ed: the eyes OF respectable men and
women were opened; and In 1873 the
New York Society for Suppression OF
Vice was formed, with the aid OF such
men as Mr.. Jessup, William r.
Dodge, Pierpont Morgan, Howard Pot
ter, and many others Of the highest
standing Mr.. Comstock was made
its secretary and special agent ana
Immediately started on crusade that
did not end until the day OF his death.
At the risk OF his life he faced the
scoundrels who were making a Nv
ing by this Infamous traffic and ne
stood at the door Of every school In
the country to protect boys and girls
from the inroads of vile literature. AS
he became familiar with the fell the
work extended; gambling tools, lot
terry tickets, fraudulent circulars
green goods, and nefarlous businesses
of various kinds felt the touch Of his
iron hand. II was largely due to him
that the United States ceased to be
a partner in these vile enterprises,
WHAT was called the Comstock Law,
enacted by Congress in 1873 made 1t
possible TO exclude vicious matter