The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-29
SOCIAL PURITY CLAMoB.
Tho Society Wbic Hooks After Great
Brltain's Morals.

Brltain's Morals.
Copyright 1893, by the United Press)
LONDON, oct 2S.-The social purity
agitation at present is redolent Of dis
agreeable odors. which are likely to per-
wade the air Of both houses Of parliament
Immediately after the opening Of next
session. The society which has the morals
Of the empire under its supervision prom
ises exceptional activity during the
coming season. The British Committee
on the State Of Vice IN India, VIII open
the ball on Wednesday. at convention 70
be held I'm the Westminster town hall'
All the leaders Of the social purity move
ment viii be there to urge on the WORK
Among those who viii speak are James
Stansdeld. Nj. D.; Lady Somerset; Fran
els willard; Editor Stead. who managed
the modern Babylon exposures; the Rev.
Hugh Prince Hughes, general reIotlneI'
and Hall Caine, the writer.
The principal subjects Of the addresses
and debates will be the horrors OF the
Chakla system I'm the cantonments In
India. child marriages and sales OF infant
girls in the big Indian cities.
The social purity agitators nave op-
portuney got hold OF notable case OF
infantile bigamy, tried In the court on
Berhampoor, Bengal. The accused girl
IS but six years old, the boy but nine.
According TO the Hindoo custom OF child
betrothal. the girl was already the VIE
Of another boy The nine-year-old boy
therefore was indicted for bigamy IN
marrying her, and the parents or Doth
were arraigned for abetting the young
sters I'm the offence. For three days the
tinv delinauents stood I'm the dock and
wept for fear Eventually the jury over
riding the India Penal Code, declared
them not guilty, and the little COUPE
went home together, without once haVln5
had the smallest conception OF what an
the trouble was about
Want the indian Code Amended.
In view Of this and similar cases the
eocial purity people mean to demand an
,nendnent Of the Indian code and TO
eIu their clamor the government VIII
assent 10 the appointment Of parliament
a,1 commission Of inquiry. While TINS
commission sits. the Indian authorities
yll have a respite from the attacks OF
be agitators in England, who VIII De
obliged to turn their attention TO ques-
lions concerning India.
That they are ready for the chahse
was shown I'm the county council yester-
day, when they defeated proposal 10
Grant to the Palace Theatre the sort or
Empire Music Hall and other Cyprean
baunts. The shareholders in the Palace
Theatre. as well as Sir Augustus Harris,
their manager, complain that they thus
have been deprived of privileges without
which they cannot make their speculation
nav. In the debate I'm the county council,
John Burns, labor NJ p, led the opposi-
ton 10 the proposal. lie denounced 1t as
tending TO encourage the assembling OF
betting men, pugiists, gamblers and other
Objectionable persons. Mr. Burns did not
choose his words, describing the music
hall as q cross between the saloon and
something worse. His strong language
was echoed by several other disciples OF
social purity, and was endorsed on the
vote by good majority.
Socially, things do not mend rapidly IN
the direction Of social purity. The pres
sure Of divorce cases in the courts ses-
sion just opened is so great that Lord
Justice Coleridee viii appoint two Lords
of Her Majesty's High Court Of Appeals
TO assist the president of the divorce
division. The country consequently. is
about to be edited by the spectacle OF
three London divorce courts crowded
with business.
To borrow Gold From England.
The report that the United States Gov
ernrnent VIII Try 10 place BOlu loan IN
ENGLAND continues TO be circulated and
believed. In financial circles IL causes
keen excitement which repeated denials
| fail to abate. The story generally accep-
ted Is that Mr.. Cleveland intends to bor-
row 100000 pounds. Bankers here say
that after the repeal Of the sherman act,
the gold can be obtained easily I'm Lon
| don, although the operation would cause
a sharp rise Of the rates. The Economist
saws that the New York Associated Banks
now are holding reserve Of $4,000 pounds
above the amount legally required, and
can make a large transfer Of gold TO the
| United States Treasury In exchange for
new issue Of bonds. Thus the re-
ouirements Of the Treasury could be met
| In a large measure out Of home resour-
| ces." adds the Economist and although
the drain Of gold from Europe would
| eventually be considerable it would not
| assume serious dimensions.