Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-07-17
The London Sensation.

The whole civilized world is
shocked by late exposures of the
Pail Nall Gazette of q most Infamous
traffic in human flesh, in comparison
with which the most atrocious hor-
rors ever related of African slavery
sink into insiSnificance. 1t seems
there has been carried Oh in London
regular business of selling young
girls-in many instances mere chill
dren-to men of wealth for immoral
uses. PROGRESSES have been keep
ing regular debit and credit ac-
count with their customers as if en-
gagged in a legitimate business.
Members of Parliament, the learned
professions GncludinS the ministry
OF the GospeD and even the royal
family are involved in this terrible
exposure. Strenuous efforts have
been made to suppress the sale of
the Gazette, but SO far it seems to
have successfully defied all efforts to
check its heroic determination to Sc
cure an amendment to the law rais-
ing the limit of non assent from thir-
teen years to an age which gives
some promise of discretion. The
course of the paper finds a sturdy
advocate in Mr.. Sturgeon, and the
Queen has signified her appreciation
of the effort to arouse popular senti-
ment to realization of horrors Eith-
erto SO carefully guarded from the
public view.
This exposure shivers at blow all
the tine-spun panegyrics on mans
devotion to woman. 1t shows that
there are many men no ding the
highest of positions. men Of the ut
most seeming responsibility, men
who mould popular opinion, men
supposed to be conservators of pub
lie morals, who regard woman sim
ply as the means for qualification of
lust. They are not treated with the
consideration of dumb brutes, much
less OF beings endowed with immor.
tai natures, members OF q common
humanity, whose aspirations and
hopes spring from God-implanted
desire to do right. These trembling
victims Of want are ruthlessly led by
the high-toned gentry of England
through the portal on which is in
scribed "Let all hope abandon who
enter here"
Is it at all surprising that those
who can form a just conception of
human character, would endeavor to
place in the hands of woman some
weapon Of defense Is it in the
least unjust for the friends of woman
to insist that she should receive more
adequate pay for her labor, when the
seething vortex from which the Ga.
zette has raised the veil long enough
for the unthinking world to obtain
mere glimpse, is ever ready to swal-
low her in its interminable depths i?
Is it strange that they would arm
her with the ballot as means of Sc
curing an equal right to keep life in
her body without q sacrifice of her
immortal soul as that possessed by
her brother man?
Let US hope that this overshadow.
ing crime of England has not found
a lodgment in our own country.
The situation in populous Eastern
cities ia bad enough, when women
are compelled to work for pittance
OF a few cents per day, and many
doubtless 60 to ruin or fill prema-
ture graves, but tina. regular traffic
exists, based upon the virtue of mere
children, is beyond belief. Refol M
is necessary here, however, as it is
in the Old Country, and the present
agitation may pave the way for some
movement to ameliorste the condi-
ton of sewing women and operatives
in many of the large factories, whose
struggle for bread almost necessarily
involves death or dishonor.
The appointment of VIM. H.
White, Esq, of Seattle. U. S. Dis.
trict AftOrnev 10 ono ub;oh rooo;rns