The morning call., 1892-12-20
FOR THE FALLEN.
Safeguards Suggested by
Socialists.
1t Is the Struggle for Bread That
Brings About the Downfall
of Women.

TT Is mans power as householder that
gives him the asceudency over woman, and
1t is because OF the purse that these women
who suffer for the sins of the people are
furnished not only with the natural eonse
quenees OF their downfall. but the unnatural
consequences of scOrn and shame beyond
that OF any other class"
IL was Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Stetson
who voiced this sentiment, and the hun
dreds of men and women gathered in
Metropolitan Temple last evening to discuss
the Social Evil" applauded it to the echo.
But Mrs. Stetson was not the first speak
er. When Chairman McIvor of the Social
istic Society call the well-attended meeting
to order he introduced DIR. j. A. Anderson,
the well-known Theosophist and social
refOrmer.
He said that women were driven in to
prostitution by the Struggle for existence.
II the sex excelled in anything it was In
virtue. She was driven to it. ''Our competi-
tive system, which has brought US to the
point where we live by cutting each other S
throass, is at the basis of all prostitution,
whether male or female" he declared.
''Phe private ownership of land is the
first great evil From il grows the rent and
the interest robbery. These are response
bic Tor most OF our troubles.
ut has come to the pass that woman had
but one thing to sell and that her soul.
And as men lose their manhood in the mad
race for wealth, even for existence, the
price OF woman's virtue has gone down"
Men and women must be placed on a
plane of perfect equality, he thought, and
there must be Justice throughout the land
before The social evil could be eradicated.
Mrs. Stetson was the next speaker. She
Is slightly built woman-deIieate Is the
word-dressed In black, with pleasing feat
ures.
her voice deep and powerful, with only a
faint trace Of the masculine, and many of
her periods we're forciole even TO the point
OF eloquenee.
Referring to the question under discus
sion she said:
bread is an enormity unparalleled in all
biology, mOnstrous condition that all ma
tnre reyolts against, and the results OF which
you see all about you in hospitals, prisons,
asylums and ruined homes.
And this blot on our civilization will be
cleansed forever when an enlightened
socialism makes the basis OF support not the
personal service OF one individual 10 another
but the service of each tn all.
in great cities, where careful aud ac-
curate statistics are kept, this il shown:
that rise in the price OF bread means a
proportionate decrease in marriage and in
crease IN prostitution.
Hunger is no provocative OF vice. but
where women want bread and have no
money and where men have the bread and
want women, the social evil remains. will
remain, must remain.
1T Is the man with more money who buys
the woman with less.
Heard you ever OF dissipated young me-
chanics working wholesale ruin among the
daughters OF millionaires?
"HarQly. IL Is the If tho N, me-,
aires who work the ruin on tho daup hters
OF the mechanies-he who has Offering 10
her who has not.
And nothing short of socialism can
wholly alter the case; nothing but a ;lIspo-
sition OF the worlds wealth which recog-
nizes the claim Of every man and woman
alike"
Mrs. Stetson was roundlv applauded
throughout and at the conclusion of her
eloquent address.
When it was over Chairman McIyor read
the resolutions.
They recIted that whereas the pripcIpal
cause oil prostitution was found in the fact
that women could not find employment at
living wages, IL is the duty of the State. ma :
ton and municipality to provide employ
ment for all who need IL.
Before putting the resolutions to n vote
Mr. Mclvor made a short but stirring adj
dress. the burden of which was:
w hat are you going to do about the
social evil? Are you going to pass these
resolutions and then 90 out and forget
about them?'
When they were finally put there was a
very vigorous "ayep and a single nav
Chairman Mclvor said there was one man
in the house not q socialists then the meal
Ing adjourned.