St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-14
CAN VIRTUE HIDE ITSELF?
Some Moral Proposals to Grave
Senators.
Much Ado About Nothing

Some Moral Proposals to Grave
Senator'S.
The White Cross league got in its
work yesterday, Senator Goodrich in
PRODUCING three bills relating to the
morals Of the people. Each bill is an
emendation of the penal code. The
first bill relates to adultery and fornica
ton:
eff any married woman shall have
sexual intercourse with a man other
than her hus and. or if any married
man shall have sexual intercourse with
q woman other than his wife, both par
ties to such intercourse shall be guilty
of adultery, and shall be punished by
Imprisonment in the state prison not
more than two years, or by 4 fine not
exceeding $500, but no prosecution shall
be commenced except Oh the
complaint of the husband Or
wife of one Of the guilty
parties, save where such husband or
wife is insane, and no such prosecution
shall be commenced after one year from
the time of the commission of the
offense. If any single man and single
woman shall cohabit together they shall
both be guilty. and may be punished
by Imprisonment in the county Jail not
more than three 'months, or by a fine
not exceeding $780,"
The second bill makes an important
discrimination in evidence to be taken
in certain cases. thus explained:
'W here upon the trial of any cause or
proceeding. civil or criminal, want of
chastity in any female person is adj
mitted to be established by the testi-
m0ny of any witness, who, for that pur-
pose, shall testify to his own illicit in
tercourse with such female, such testi-
mony shall not be regarded as sufficient
to establish such want of chastity un-
less corroborated by other competent
evidence"
In the third bill, which bears upon
rape and abduction, the age of consent
is raised from ten years to eighteen
years, and provides: whoever carnally
knows and abuses any female person
Of the age of ten years and upwards and
Under the age of eighteen years shall
be punished by Imprisonment in the
state prison for period OF not less than
ten nor more than fifteen years." 1t
further establishes that
A man who
o. Takes female under the age of
eighteen years for the purpose of proSti-
tuition or sexual intercourse. or without
the consent of her father, mother, guard
ian or other person having legal charge
of her person for the purpose OF mar
riage; or
O. Inveigles or induces any female
person under the age of twenty-five
years away from her home or into secret
places at her home for the purpose of
prostitution, or unlawful sexual inter-
course; or
90 Takes OF detains woman I'M
lawfully against ner will, with intent to
compel her by force, menace or duresS
to marry him or to marry any other per-
son, or to be deiled; or
a Being a parent or guardian, or
other person having legal charge of the
person of female under the age of
eighteen years, consents to her taking or
OBTAINING any person for the purpose of
prostitution or sexual intercourse
Is guilty of abduction. and punish
able by Imprisonment in the state prison
for not more than five years, or by a
fine of not more than $1,000, or both.
Senator Goodrich, who is chairman of
the judiciary committee, said the bills
had been entrusted to him by the White
Cross league, who are responsible for
the framing of the bill. lie was of
opinion that in raising the age of con-
sent to eighteen years the league had
made a mistake. Fifteen was more
likely to secure the approval of the SEN
ate