St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-02
MORALITY IN NEW YORK.
Prominent Ladies Give Rev. DIR.
Dix Raking.


New YORK, April 1.-Rev. DR.. DiX's
recent severe structures on society
women have brought out some pointed
criticism on the reverend gentleman,
particularly on the part of some of the
leading women of the city. Mrs. Frank
Leslie, when asked her opinion to-day
of the standard of morality among city
women, said without hesitation:
Social life in New York is exception
ally pure. There is certain amount of
dissipation in every large city which
comes inevitably to the surface, but the
daughters, wives and the mothers are
good and true. have been especially
struck with the difference between this
country and England in some social
characteristics. New York is as far as
possible from being licentious city.
My work and my charities take me out
at all hours of the day and night, and |
know from personal experience that
woman may go anywhere and at any
time without insult or molestatiOn."
Mrs. Lille DevereuX Blake, who pub
lished volume in reply to a previous
course of Lenten lectures by DR.. Dix.
was asked her opinion of the modeSty
and breeding of city girls.
"NO one can go much among city
women without knowing that the hearts
under satin dresses are as true as those
under cloth vests. The amountof char
ity among fashionable women is con-
slant source of surprise, not money-giv-
ing only, but giving of time, of thought,
of personal effort and personal sacrifice;
the dedication, too, of their hands and
their brains to help the poor. The decOl-
lete dressing is really a matter of health
nf itxy
it is question of custom simply"
Mrs. j. G. Croly (Jennie June) be-
lieved that pure-minded women were in
the overwhelming majority in every
circle of society, and that no one who
knew women at their best, in their
homes, could seriously think otherwise.
Mrs. Ella Wheeler Wilcox prOfesstd d
only very recent knowledge of the me-
trOpolis, and hesitated to express very
decided views. On the whole, she
thought that there was in proportion
less immortality and less temptation
toward it in the city than in the cOun-
try. e,
should launch my reproaches against
men, especially married men. Men
seem ashamed to have it known that
they are good, even when they are.
dhC q uldH WIN 10 lOtlly dllu u uly III
love with his wife; he doesn't care to
have it known. He thinks it isn't
manly. He may be devoted to
one woman so thoroughly that
he could not have eyes for any other,
and yet he wants the reputa ton of
gay Lothario. He thinks it a preferable
reputation among other men to that of
an honest spouse. 1t is men who hold
the marriage tie lightly, not women. If
young girls learn evil they get it from
young men who take theinpleasure in
probing young girls knowledge, test
ing her inclinations and satisfying them
selves just how far she will:go. People
tell me sometimes it is bad form to be so
openly in love with my husband. Too
much devotion between married people
isn't the thing. Don't understand this
of New York, now mean the country
at large. II they don't wish women to
retaliate on them, men need to be taught
the sacredness of marriage, and to give
up flirting once the knot is tied. New
York women? Well, l have found
them extremely kind"