The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-17

should have kept her silent, even Il her
own self.respect was too weak to restrain
her. When the Conscienceless world, liy-
ing withouta higher aim than that Of sue
cess and what is known BY getting on,
condones all kinds Of moral o6liquity for
the sake Of financial prosperity and social
position, do we tnd that, as a rule, moth
ers and matrons protest against opening
their houses to this gilded rasCality2 II
they did-if they made demerit and not
poverty the cause Of exclusion, virtue and
not success the title to reception-there
would be some check to the corruption
which is so insolently rampant now. Wo-
men have this power in their own hands,
more especially those women who are
mothers. II they would only set them.
selves to check the inclination for loose
talk and doubtful discussions which is
characteristic OF the present moment,
they could put an end to It without delay.
And so, also, they might stop in less than
year the torrent OF slang with which
Young England floods its daily speech;
and by setting themselves against the
paint and dye and meretricious makeup
generally OF the modern girl, they might
bring next quarters fashions back to
mOdesty and simplicity,
Women are apt to murmur at their. lot
MS one without influence, variety, stirring
purpose, space for action. But it is, on
the contrary, lot full OF dignity and i'm
porianCe, II properly regarded and fitly
undertaken. II they do not lead armies,
they make the characters OF men who lead
and are led, II they are not State Minis
tiers and Parliamentary orators, they
raise by their nobleness or degrade by
their want Of delicacy and refinement the
souls and minds Of the men who are. II
they are not in the throng and press Of ac-
tive life, they can cheer on to high aims,
or base y reward the baser methods Of ex-
istence. As mothers they are the artif-
GERS who give the initial touch that lasts
through life, and as women. they complete
what the mother began. Society is
moulded mainly by them, and they bring
up their daughters upon their own pat
tern. 1t Is surely weak and silly then
to blame society for its ignoble tone or
the young for their disorders, All men
want the corrective influence of social
opinion, and It is chiefly women who ere
ate that opinion. Youth, too, will ever
DO disorderly II it gets the chance, and the
race has not yet been born that carries
old heads on young shoulders. 1t is for
mothers TO supplement by their own wis
dom the gaps left by the inexperienCe and
Ignorance Of youth; II Is for the mothers
to guide Alright the steps that are apt,
without that guidance, to run astray, and
to guard against passions, emotions, de-
sireS, which, II lett to themselves, bring
only evil and disaster, but which guarded
and directed may be turned TO the best OF
ends. For ourselves, we deeply regret to
see the rapid extinction Of motherhood
in It's best sense, and decline TO accept
tho modern loose.haHdcd Chaperon as its
worthy substitute. We repudiate the
plea OF characterization OF the young so
often put forward in defense Of the new
state Of things, for 1t Is simply nonsense.
The young arc what mothers make them,
Just ms society Ia what the matrons allow
II TO beA and ifmothefs did their duty.
va should hear no mOtcNOf the Willful-
ness Of the one or the shameless vagaries
OF the other, The remedy for each lies
in their own hands only.