Seattle's Moral Crusade Against 'Indecent' Literature
Local news dealers face legal threats unless they pull racy publications like 'The Police Gazette' and 'The New York Telegraph' from their stands.
Action has been taken to the prosecuting attorney's office by the representatives of a number of local news dealers for the prevention of vice. The Puget Sound company and others are handling indecent literature. The complainants specifically complained of are The Standard, The Police Gazette, and The New York Telegraph. The dealers were notified by mail that if these journals were found in their stores of business after August 1, they would be prosecuted.
“The dealers were notified by mail that if these journals were found in their stores of business after August 1, they would be prosecuted.”
This 1899 crackdown on 'indecent' literature in newsstands mirrors recurring modern anxieties about what materials are acceptable in public spaces. Just as the city then moved to censor magazines and newspapers, current debates continue to flare in Seattle regarding the regulation of books and media in public libraries and schools.
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