The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-10
"A SHAMELESS AFFRONT."
That is what DIR. Knox Calls Mr.. U. h'
Smiths Article ON the ''Femaie De-
voice of the Bicycle Craze
RALEIGH, N. c., Sept. 8, 1895.

|
RALEIGH, N. c., Sept. 8, 1895.
| To the Editor of the News and Observer;
To-day's issue OF the NEWS AND OBJ
SERVER contains an article headed 'Fe-
male Devotee of the Bicycle Craze, "
signed by so. r. Smith," which l am
asfonished to see in a journal whose
editors reverence for woman IS 50 well
| known as YOUR own. Indeed, | am fam
to believe that it must have been pub
lished without your knowledge and con
sent, or else il would have been DENIED
admission to your columns. -,
If our women are to be lnsutted with
impunity-if, in their helplessne5s' any
pulling defamer may use such unbrldled
license as is displayed by 20. X smith,
in speaking of all those ladies who, with
their husbands or parents consent,
choose to indulge in an innocent and
healthful form of wholesome exercise and
recreation, and no man stands to defend
them and to resent the coWardly affront
thus put upon them all-why, then, let
our boosted Southern chivalry go hide its
head in shame.
have something to say to 80. Z.
Smith," and | claim the space IN your
columns where his disgraceful article
appears), in which to say it:
A man mey, without offense, if he
does so decently and properly -express
his opinions in regard to the bicycle Tor
women; but he must not be Wantonly
offensive and insulting; and no man has
the right to thrust upon the public eye
such indecencies of speech in regard to
the wives and daughters of our homes,
nor to apply Unfortunately, as ne does,
the yilest of epithets and expressions to
every woman who rides the wheel. The
article complained of makes use OF Ian
guage which is unfit for publication III
any family newspaper, and which I'm
common with many other men who rev.
erence and respect the gentle women or
our State) denounce and repel with
indignant scorn and contempt for the
person who wrote it, will not call him
man-as grossly insulting to our noble
women, and wholly unWarranted air
iag of himself and his base opinions.
This expressions are brutal and coward
ly, indecent, degrading (albeit, to him
self alone) an open and shameless at
front to every lady who rides wheel
with propriety and seemliness-as all
our ladies do, who ride at all-and
stamps the writer as utterly devoid OF
reverence for the sex. And every man
who has a proper respect for women
and for himself has even spark
of gallantry and manly courtesy in his
nature, should, at least, refrain from
publishing such language, even If he
harbor the vile thoughts in his mind.
In common decencY, let him keep them
under lock and key. In my opinion,
it should be impossible for such
a writer to find the columns Of
any reputable newspaper open to him.
There are proper and improper ways o.
conducting and of dressing ones self IN
cycling, as there there are in the ball
room and elsewhere, and had 30. K.
Smith" confined his req arks to the ways
and the women deserving Of censure,
land in language not offensive and bru
tall, should have passed them by I'M
noticed but when be descends to such
scurrillous language, ard applies il to
every woman who rides wheel, / should
deserve my own contempt and that OF
every good woman in our State, if
/ sat dumb and made no sign.
In my opinion, every self respecting
man in Raleigh, who reyerences
woman whatever his opinions on her
using the bicycle may be-should rise in
indignant protest, and cry aloud: "Ob!
shame sHAME!l SHAME!!m Public senti
ment should drive such man from our
midst, ami hold him up to universal
scorn, as w8nton defamer Of the.seX.
His disgraceful diatIibe calls for the
editorial Pronunciation, and for that of
every editor in North Carolina
1t is no longer necessary to defend
bicycle-riding for woman; but it is need
full to rebuke her wanton defameTs!
Very truly yours,
W KNcy m II