CAL "THE CAT CAME BACK." THE ICONOCLAST has several times pointed out that there is such a thing as overdoing reformation. The result of the recent election in New York is a case in point. Tammany became so shamefully corrupt that it was necessary to smoke the tiger out of the City Hall. The animal went on a dead gallop, his fur singed, his tail on fire. Quite naturally, the professional godly led the anti-Tammany crusade. Parkhurst and all his paladins and peers shinnied in the van. And, quite naturally, the new administration was dominated by the googoos. It was elected for reform purposes, and was determined to "bring a corollary rather than want a spirit." New York had been noted as the wickedest city in the world—with the possible exception of Waco. The latter is the only municipality, the majority of whose citizens are church communicants, that has licensed houses of prostitution. That puts Waco one ahead of New York in general wickedness-adds canting hypocrisy to her calendar of crime. New York has a Sunday law almost equal to the Texas infamy. This piece of puritanical damphoolishness makes it a misdemeanor to breathe on Sunday except through the ears, and a penal offense to be found with the aroma of lager-beer and pretzels on the breath. When a man is caught in a compromising attitude with a whisky cocktail on the first day of the week the mixologist is arrested for seduction. The googoos decided to enforce this law clear up to the limitto transform the Valley of Hinnom into a seventh heaven 1 |