The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-09-14
A QUESTION OF MORALS.
Moral Standards as Applied to Womer
and to Men.

From the New York Sun.
The difference in the moral stand
ards applied to women and to men
is shown very strikingly in the case
of Miss Victory Bateman and the
Professional Woman's League.
She is an actress OF very good pro-
fessional standing, but she has bet n
induced, if not practically forced, to
resign from the League, simply be-
cause Mrs Aubrey Boucicault has
begun suit for divorce, charging
improper intimacy between her hus-
band and Miss Bateman. The suit
has not yet been brought to trial,
and she protests her innocence of the
wrongdoing charged, but not proved;
yet it is manifest that her feminine
associates in the League deem the
mere allegation, the mere suspicion,
sufficient reason for parting COM
pany with her.
Mr. Aubrey Boucicault is an actor,
and very likely he is a member OF
professional associations of actors,
but no one of them would think of
requesting his resignation because
the same charge of immortality is
is made against him. He might be
member OF the, most carefully guarded
club of men, but his standing in it
would not be affected in the least by
such an allegation, even if it were
proved true. No club member is ever
put out simply on the ground that
he is guilty of adultry. If he were in
any professional society, unless, per-
haps, an association OF ministers, his
resignation would not be compelled
because of such a charge; nor would
it disturb his general social and bust
ness relations.
When, however, the faintest suspi-
cion of such misconduct on the part
of a woman arises, at once she is put
under a ban by her sisters. The
dramatic profession is far more liber-
al in its treatment of her than any
other, her artistic standing not suf
tering from such cause; but, as this
case of Miss Bateman shows, q
league of professional women exclu-
sively is anxious to cut loose from
her. The justice of opportunity to
clear herself of the charge is not
allowed her. The mere accusation is
enough to induce her feminine associ-
ates to turn coldly from her. The
man suffers no social harm. The
woman is socially spurned.
This radical difference in the treat
ment of men and of women would
cause a serious conn LEGATION if it
should continue after women have
been admitted to the management of
public affairs on political equality
with men. AS it is now, the moral
standard applied to women in public
office is far more severe than that to
which men ale held up. A me1e
breath of suspicion of a woman
teachers moral purity may cause her
ruin. She is under the sharpest
criticism and the closest observation
as to her moral conduct. Meantime,
men teachers are not interfered with
in that particular. Wherever women
are in public office the difference is
the same, and in private employment
it is not less marked. Many of the
men most prominent and most dis
tinguished in public life have been of
licentious habits; but their immoral
iUy has not interfered with the sue
cess of their public careers or lessened
the regard which they commanded
from the public by reason of their
abilities and their services. Some of
the greatest of the national heroes
have been of that sort.
Would the introduction of women
into public life by the granting of
woman suffrage have tendency to
lower the moral standard for them,
so as to bring it down to that of
men? Probably not. We may even
say undoubtedly not, for women
themselves tolerate and excuse and
overlook moral lapses in men which
they would not forgive in women.
The difference in the standards is
made by them rather than by men,
or at least they could prevent it if
they were SO minded. They let the
adulterer go, and they punish the
adulteress. The moral purity they
exact from women, they do not re-
quire from men.
If, then, under woman suffrage, we
had women candidates for Office,
they would be subjected to moral
tests from which men would be as
much exempt as they are now.
Otherwise, woman suffrage would
bring about a radical social and
moral revolution; revolution in
human nature itself With woman
suffrage a new element would be
brought into political discussions,
tending to embitter them and to
make them scandalous, for the moral
character OF women candidates
would be a necessary issue.