Blue-grass blade., 1894-11-11

Justice should be done between man
and woman as much as between man
and man. Certainly not only gallantry
and mercy, but justice even, demands
that if there is to be any discrimination
between men and women as to the re-
sponsibility for their morals, the dis
elimination should be in favor of the
woman
The fact that this is not the case is
simply the result of the fact that man
being the physically stronger has taken
the making of the laws, and the manu-
faci iure of public sentiment into his own
hands, and he has made this discrimina-
tion between men and women in his own
favor.
1t is simply an outrage, and an instance
of brute violence to woman, that the
woman is ruined by being only once
seduced, and that women themselves
will sanction this while they will honor
men by their smiles and their society
that they have reason to believe are
habitually guilty of sexual impurity.
While there are hundreds of such
ruined women, in town like this, where
is one man whose social standing has
been damaged by this personal impurity?
Certainly justice demands that one of
two things should be done. Either
women who have fallen from loss of vir-
tue should be restored to society. or the
men who have been the occasion of their
debaseme 1t should alike receive the con-
demnation of society. There is no pos
sible reason why the public should make
any difference in the treatment of the
two sexes, in this regard.
If we decide that there are so many
men guilty of this crime that it would
be impractical to punish them by social
ostracism, or by law, then we have no
right to blight the entise life 81 weman,
because she has done wrong once when
a man can, with impunity, persist in this
sin. l do not know what the conse-
quences to society would be, if society
recognized impurity in women as it
does in men, but do know that justice
must be done if the heavens fall, or if we
do not know that as plain maxum as
that is true then we do not know any,
thing, and there is no sense in making
moral laws.
| We have lately had, it seems in Lex
ington, a case about like that of "Tess''
and her seducer. A beautiful girl is
seduced by a rich man. She must 60
| lulO ODSSulllt VI WOiSC lOt thC OdAdhNO
of her life, but he will, just as much as
ever, be received into what is called the
"good society" of the city.
The women in society in the town
who. in this regard, have lived proper
lives, are largely responsible for this
Through fear of the men they have
learned to join with the men in con.
demning their own sex more than the
other sex. 1t is unjust, unkind, and un.
womanly. The woman who will with
draw her recognition from a woman who
has once fallen, and at the same time
recognize a man who she knows is nc
purer than the fallen woman is not her
self worthy of the name of a woman, an6
has committed sin scarcely less thar
that of the fallen woman.
The woman of wealth and fashion ant
influence, who is aware of her power in
this line, and is afraid to exercise it in
behalf of fallen women, while she socially
recognizes impure men, is scarcely ;
better woman if at all than the fallei
woman to whom she is unwillingly t.
reach helping hand. lest men nigh
think she had been contaminated by th'
touch