The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4613, 17 October 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1883.

It has been frequently written'that " society papers are society's bane," and we cannot but quite agree with such a statement, judging by our experience of such things in our provincial district. If the rectification of wrong, the removal of vice, and the regulation of the moral tone of the people were the moral aim of a society organ, then we would indeed feel that some good were likely to arise fro*n such an existence; but, when we see the sanctity of private life invaded and violated ; the putrescences of social life held up in all theirdisgustingnauseousness; the smallest scandals, which would^ otherwise be hidden ia the bosoms of families, to whichthey alone belong, dragged forth and magnified to the greatest power, for no good or moral purpose ; the,relations existing,, or which might 1 exist, between husband and wife, attempted to be interfered with; tie disgusting detais cf

eveiy petty occurrence of an immoral nature giren in sensationally descriptive language; and all for the purpose of gratifying a morbid.craving for pruriency nrngled with a consequent accumulation of L. s. d.; we feel that the -power properly belonging to so powerful an estate as gjthe Press is being prostituted: Of course it would betray a j want of knowledge of human nature to express surprise at a.paper giving up, paying columns, but it certainly betrays a j want of that refinement, delicacy, and 'respectability, which should be attached Ito journalism; in giving publicity to j scandalous rumors, untruthful reports, disgusting accounts of private and domestic mishaps, 1 and as far as in their power lies, damaging the characters and reputations of various people. Perhaps one of the reasons for these items being published is as we put it, the money return such publication causes. All the youths and maidens from the age of 15 years upwards rush to purchase these journals, and eagerly devour the

contents of them, more particularly in

places of limited population, where nearly every person is known, either by appear* ance or otherwise, to the other. In cases where a lapse is made by an erring one of either sex, / this is held forth to public

view without any beneficial effect. No doubt, the editors of those society papers are not altogether to blame for their paper« frequently containing items of an immoral and disgusting nature—they are very likely ignorant of the real meaning of the various inuendoes, insinuations, and sentences of deuble entendre, which permeate the communications they receive from "Tom, Dick, and Harry;" but one must believe they are to blame in accepting correspondence from any source it may come, as no responsibility is as» sumed, and the system of anonymous communication which they encourage must be, and undoubtedly is, an inducement to vindictive, and very frequently low-minded persons, to vent spleen, injure character, and otherwise do clandestinely, what they dare not and would not do openly. It is not from any feeling arising from the possession of a thin skin that we refer to this disagreeable subject, but the abominable contents of some of the columns we advert to really call for a remonstrance, looking at the question from the point of morality.