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Show EDITORIAL THE DANCE ! CRAZE ,. Tho Introduction of new and ques tionable dances, tho manner in which ' thoy, nro discussed In society, and tho frequency with which our young ', peoplo visit tho ball room, may woll ' crerito feelings of nlnrm among those who hnvo nt heart tho welfaro of tho 'outh of Zlou. Somo ono hns said1 . that man Is n huiullo of habits; cer tain It Is that pernicious habits often of-ten fix themselves upon tho lives of jouth and Hint tlieso habits which aro , ' ' pernicious do much to destroy tho ' ( mibstantlal pleasures of Ufa. Tho danco luiblt Is fastening Itself upon tho lives of too many of our youth. HI It is fc habit from which they do not I easily break! away in after life. It Is n habit, too, that effects somo of tho most solemn obligations of Welt We-lt prevents, often, the advent of children chil-dren Into tho homo; It wenns men and women away from their religious and pnlrentnl duties, and In tho end gives rlso to Jealousies, envies, nnd tho poisoned Hfo of husband and w lfo In tho homo. There Is, In many places, tho evident evi-dent ambition among our youth to bo I what is' qalled export or professional I dancers; an nlmbltlon to learn nil tho ' new steps and to regard their ac quirement in the ball room as one of : tho highest objects o't their lives. I Tho ball room Is at best a question 's ablo place of amusement. It leads to unnatural hours, to Irregular practlc-i practlc-i es, to excesslvo oxcrclses and under mines In the end tho physical and t moral condition of thoso who are Us devoted' habitues. The Churtlt' has P allowed ioV and provided the manner and, to some extent, tho frequency y of tho dance In our amusements. f There' is In tho ball room nj pecu- liar intimacy which should exist only ' among those who aro friends, nejgh- f uors and high moral associates. The public danco is hlways n questionable place for tho recreation of tho young nnd parentB should a ? as it Is In tholr power, prevent Hiclr young poo-P poo-P plo from Indulging In tho rolscellnn- ; poub associations of tho public bnll. '' j ' Such associations nro not tho best, I and aro often extremely bail; always .. being open to a mlxturo of tho riff- t raff of the society In thoso commun- I , ltles where they oxlst. In tho ball room, too, thoro Is moro HW danger of thoso lntoxlcntlons of the l(n danco whlcli lead to vlco thnn in any A other kind or placo of our nmuso- SHI ments. Tho Intoxication or delirium tll of tho dalnco undormlneB thoso health- 'Djf ful restraints which nro Intended and WW indeed essential to hoop young people II H in tho lln'o of their duty. It Is not easy to foroseo or know at this time UlJ what tho effect ot the present danco H Ij crazo Is likely. to hnvo Jn luring our JflLfL young pcoplo Into by and' forbidden HHr paths. We may bo certain tho effect S will bo serlouB, moresertous, v'per- lit 4 I " " JU"V " ' J? " ,gSffl. VMl'Wii mnh khMl4 hups, than many now Imagine. Tho pages of our newtjpapc'rsr are flllod with tho discussion of' tho latest dances, of their approval and disapproval. disap-proval. These newspapers, In tholr discussions of tho dance, arouse the morbid curiosity of tho young who thereby are led Into plaices of recreation recre-ation nnd Into resorts that tiro not only dangerous to tho real happiness of llfo, but aro fatal thereto. Indeed, much of tho present craze belongs to a passing fancy, which will doubtless In Its passing, catch many" ot our outh within Its Influence, nnd carry them to their undoing. Tho dance crazo should bo discouraged, and It posslblo avortcd. No doubt Its Intensity In-tensity may in time diminish, but at the present high tldo of Its populnlrlty tho dance Is certain to result In evils from which tho youth of Zlon will find it difficult to escape. It Is beyond question a tlmo when overy possible oxertlon should bo put forth to restrain re-strain our youth In' tho excess ot tho dance, and nlto to turn their minds from It to moro healthful and far safer recreations. Joseph P. Smith. |