St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-17
Raising the Age Of Consent
in This State to Eighteen
Years.
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES
And Prominent Christian
Workers at the CONNER
eial Club.

A large number of women and men
gathered at the Commercial club yes
terday in response to an invitation OF
the associated charities of St. Paul TO
give impetus to the movement now on
foot to raise the limit of the age of
consent. TO eighteen years. All of the
speeches were good. but for pathos and
natural eloquence the addresses of
Mesdames Taber, of Minneapolis, and
Warner. of St. Paul. were striking.
The meeting was called to order by
Rev. DR.. Hebron. who briefly stated
the object thereof. He introduced Dr.
5. G. Smith. TO put the matter before
the meeting. The pastor of the PeO-
pies church urged every one present
to be perfectly free in expressing their
opinions for or against the proposed
bill. which. he said. is not regarded as
perfect. but is open to amendment If 1t
can be battered. He believed the move
meut to be inspired by the very highest
and purest motives. and could not con-
ceive of any valid objection that could
be raised against the proposed change
In the law.
Judge Pierce. Of Minneapolis. pre-
scented an outline of the measure now
before the senate to raise the age OF
consent for females to eighteen years.
The Judge briefly reviewed the laws of
Minnesota concerning the age of con-
sent. He read the present statute,
passed in 1891. and analysed the three
degrees of punishment provided. These
degrees OF punishment are not regarded
as consistent or adequate to one an
other. BY the new bill it will be in the
power OF a Judge to take into constdera-
ton the age of the boy as we'll as the
age of the girl 1t also changes, in
come respects. the degree OF punish
ment TO be inflicted on men. convicted
of the crime. entirely abOlishing the
minimum sentence of three months in
the county jail.
Rev. 5. W. Sample, of Minneapolis,
said the movement is not a local one
nor d clerical one, nor a woman s
movement. but it is a citizens move
ment as wide as the Union. The
movement is not one of charity. nor
of sicl1ly sentimentalism, but of sim
pie justice. That is its watchword.
This is a part of a national move
ment. and is not Of that class known
as restrictive legislation.' He read
letters from several judges of WyOm-
ing, where the age of consent IS
eighteen. In every instance the writer
said that the law had never been in
voked to levy or collect blackmail
The speaker grew eloquent in his plea
for raising the limit. and impassioned
in Pronunciation of the arguments
raised against the movement.
1T is not a movement simply for
the girls, but also to protect the boys
from a scorching and a soaring Of
their souls that can never be cured.
I appeal for it as a concession to JUS
tice.' he said.
Mrs. Taber. of Minneapolis, made a
very touching address, taking the po-
sitfon that the bill is designed to pro-
tect the poor and the friendIess girls,
those who by misery and restitution
are driven
INTO TEMPTATIONS
they otherwise would not have TO
meet. She alluded to the established
knowledge on her own part that
there are girls so poorly paid for
their work that. to clothe themselves.
they must barter their chastity and
their honor. Instancing one store in
Minneapolis. where only young girls
are employed. she said the proprietor
refused to allow the petition for the
bill to be circulated in his store. In
closing, Mrs. Taber urged closer con-
fdences between parents and children.
to the end that knowledge OF the laws
of life may become more widespread.
w. P Murray opened the general
discussion of the bill by admonishing
the ladies present to pay more atten-
ton to the advantages offered by the
state reform school at Red Wing.
He advised the ladies to have the re-
form school law SO amended that any
mother whose daughter may be in
clining TO wrong doing can go to a
district Judge and have the fractions
child quietly committed to the school
for a course of discipline.
Mrs. Reed. of st. Paul. asserted in
earnest language that the young boys
of the city are being contaminated on
all sides. She maintained that mothers
do teach their boys TO be as good and
pure as their sisters, but out of the
home circle they come in contact with
the poison.
Mrs NJ ~ Warner. of St. Paul. said
she believed that law will save neither
girls nor boys.
we must go deeper, down to the