The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-10-17
JOB DePN' kMllEHr.
-voc,ETY ~ ENGLAND
Tho Etansiard oe Morality Ansnns tke
Upper Glasses lathor Low. s.

Lucy Hooper in IL London letter to
the st. Louis Post Dispatca says: There
has always been prevalent conviction
that a higher standard of morality is
common in the higher classes of Brit
:su socirty than is to be- found in cor
rcsyon,'ing circles in continental Eu-
rope. This is altogether II mistake.
In the early days of Queen Victoria's
reign, when the court was presided
over by young woman Of the Sc
vcrcst virtue. matters were very diff
fcrcnl. The soiled doves existed then
MS now. and us they always will exist.
but not in large numbers. and they
were rot permitted to iluttcr their SUI
lied wings in the guarded precincts
where royalty sat in state. We or
they or somebody have changed all
this. Rank aud fashion ctn do as
they like. can mention. for instance,
q beautiful and titled Englislwonan.
one of the recognized leaders OF Lon-
don society, who is the mother of :,
child that can not we'll be accounted
for by any complication of her coniuyal
arrangements. Yet her social position
remains unlucstioncL and n,;lssafns-
Bile. There is another wcll-known
woman OF high rank whose intrigues
have been nunbrrlcss and i:,yrant
and who is socially none the worse for
her countless eSrapllcS. But it is of
no use multiplying Instances. for the
list might be EXTENDED indefinitely.
Only ii any one who knew the inside
history OF the English nobility were to
20 carefully through that poudcrous
Volume, the British leeraye. e.annoiuting
the pages us he read. he result would
furnish some remarkably spicy read
ing.
The comparative and praiscworthv
purity Of English morals. us contr.lst-
ed with those of the French, lies in Til.
outward cleanliness of their literature.
and art The novels and plays. tI..
prints and photographs, aud the co.,
umns OF the daily papers are wholly
free from imlccorol!sness. unless in
deed the details OF some peculiarly
sensational divorce ease ,isigures the
latter. For your British mor.,list does
not dislain to write very nasty things.
if only they bc truc,on such occasions.
The publication, for instance. of the
Colin-Can,pIcll divorce suit would
have been as impossible for the French
papers as would that of Znla's novel
LA Tcrrc." in an ummodiiiml form.
for the English ones. But what is the
use of Keeping the British Young
person strictly secluded from ali sight
and knowledge of vice. ii. on her in-
PRODUCTION to society. she finds herself
face to face with vice itself arlayed in
velvet aud diamonds, and smiled upon
by all that is most exclusive and Sc
we're. a dozen immoral ls..,.is amt u
score Of improper pictures would hard
lN do that typical pcrsonagcs princi-
pies half as much harm IL; does tho
spectacle of Il fair female sinner, court
ed aud carcSs"tl in fashionable society
by just the very individuals whose no.
tice is considered best worth having.
American society is far more partic-
ular in this respect, and long may it
remain so. i'u! the power OF the An.
glo-nania is very great. aud under its
influence, some strange things have al
ready happened. That !, handsome
ex-mstrcss Of the prince of Wales did
not meet with rapturous reception
in New York society Il few Years ago
was largely due To chance. Still. she
was not rcccircd-to the credit of our
American llostessrs he il s:li,. But
British peers, travelling with the wives
of other men and leaving their own ut
home, or else the heroes of the mos.
hi'leous of European scandals, have
found great social accrptalion and
lordly entertainment in our principal
American cities May these Instances
prove isolated ones. and may the ex-
pcrience of the past teach our people
I lesson for the future.