Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-10
SOCIAL SINS.
THE CANGER OF The AGI

Women!
New York Tribune, Ed.
The trial of the murderers of the girl
Cramer at New Haven goes on, but at.
tracts little attention; Guiteau's great
crime, like Aaron's, serpent, having swal-
lowed all the rest, in public estimation.
Decent people, indeed, have long ago tired
of the foul unending stream OF murder.
divorce and adultery cases which winds it's
way from years end to years end through
the press. Naturally they begin to loathe
the whole matter both the crime and the
class with whom the crime originates.
They will read and know nothing about
them. Why should the current of their
useful, decorous lives be disturbed by the
misdoings of vulgar fast girls and their
brutal murderers? They will not even con-
Germ themselves enough about such
tragedies, to find il there is any help for
them. Yet the truth is that this mur-
der of Jennie Cramer is not an isolated
case, but a fair indication of the condition
of society in the class to which il belongs
The tens of thousands of lOud-talking,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who crowd the streets
and cheap places Of amusement in our
cities aud large towns are not 4 pleasant
or picturesque study for moralists or Chris
tians of refined tastes. But what is the
use of spending money in building schools
and churches and Sunday schools for the
children of the next generation? Here are
the mothers; and if they are left unchanged
buildings of very different sort are all
that will be needed for their children.
We arc not talking now Of the class of
women who have made vice trade. AS
we understand the evidence, this girl Cra
mer did not belong to them. She had the
reputation of being ga decent, respectable
girl among her ncishbors, in spite of
the fact that she went to variety shows
and saloons with young men, remaining
out nearly all night. The standard OF
manners is low in Jennie Cramer's class.
There is the secret of the crime and deg
radiation of its women. 1he mothers of
such girls, llardwOrked at home, finding
their own sole pleasure in life in some poor
display and bit Of fincry, are satisfied that
g the young people should have their
fling" When they send their children
to the public school, observe the tawdry
flounces and dirty ribbons on their ragged
clothes. This seems tritie, but every wise
woman knows that there is no surer sign
Of moral corruption than filth and finery.
AS the girls grow older they find places,
probably, in factories, side by side with
coarse, licentiOus men, or in retail shops
at wages of from three to six dollars par
week. How arc they to pay for their
board and tho finc clothes which they
have been taught are the one desidcratum
in life? The same silly vanity forbids
them to take service. Then come, S in
This girl Cramer's case, tho arsenic to i'm
prove the complexion, the fine dress, the
imitation pearls, and the means to buy
hem. The ranks of prostitution are
from this would -gcntccl class,
not from domestic servants
Let any Christian reformer drop for an
lOur his pet scheme for clcvating the |
world, whether it be the conversion Of |
he Jews or tho POlynesians, and follow |
my day group Of these girls home from
heir work. If they are Americans they |
lave not sensual faces. There is none |
# that hopeless predominancc of the ami
nal nature in mouth and eye which puts
he mark Of tho beast on the women of !
he lower orders in some European races.
Is rule, their features are clear and fine,
heir eyes sparkling, eager; the whole
'atural physical character is nervous, deli
ate and refined. With proper training these
would be the same women as those who
onquered New England by their enduf-
nee and piety, or who are conquering the
Vest now in many a rude cabin By their
nfagging energy and hish-heartedncss.
'be race is the same the education is
ifferent. But note the vulgar insolence
f their talk their swagger, their inane,
sgling efforts to attract the notice of
len passing by ; the vacuity, the incipi-
mt depravity, the hopelessness of it all.
hero is no sight more tragic ON Garth
han that Of one Of these women, meant
y God to be a pure wife and mother,
risking jauntily down her way to ruin.
1t is not only to this class of young girls
re would call attention, but to tho habits
nd manners of those who hold a much
ighcr social rank. Our educated orders
now little more OF the real lives of these
Dung people than they do of the thoughts
nd private occupations Of the lower ami
lals. Let them read, rs a mere matter
curiosity, one Of the cheap novels that
re sold by the tens of thousands among
lem. or one OF their society papers -
it'll their personals and "handker-
lief language" and all the rest of the I
lily, pitiful nastiness. The young men
nd women who take delight in these
lings are in all probability virtuous.
ut how long will they remain so?
The temptation to ruin, too, We urge '
gain, does not come to the native Ameri. {
IN girl through any natural proclivity to
ce, but through her vanity, her intense ,
'sire to be noticed, her nervous craving !
r excitement. She is not born with any
cradicable base faint of blood she is
orth saving. How shall she be saved? j