The herald., 1895-09-22

fully to have arrived to give more
thoughtful, intelligent and general con-
sideration to the profoundly important
social problems involved.
"My first interest in this subject was
aroused in 1861 he said. when few
Of us formed committee upon receiving
a warning communication from the In
ternationai Federation of England for
the abolition of state regulation of vice,
of which Mrs. Josephine Il. Butler is the
heroic leader. She was the pioneer IN
that revolt against infamous legislation
which shamed our statute books, but is
now, happily. only dismal memory.
1--WE were shocked by the revelations
of Mr.. Stead in London in 1885. The
crimes against young girls were appal-
people when it was found out Jnat al
though we protected the property of our
girls until the legal age, our care ended
there. as the law of New York and
nearly all the other states made child
10 years old legally capable of consentiEg
to her own rum; in Delaware at the
shockingly low period of years.
'This subject will receive particular
attention during the congress, for al
though wonders have been accomplished,
much is yet to be done.
There are three states yet whore the
age OF CouSeHI is ~ years. Aour - Soais,
three ID years, twenty IA years. two Is
years, twelve including New York, IL
years. one II years and two IS years.
Eternal vigilance is our watchword.
Only few years ago efforts were maze
to lower the standard in New York, but
our vigorous protests caused the disrepu-
table scheme to be defeated.
1--WE have worked quietly but effective
ly," concluded Mr.. Powell, land if, as
Gladstone, the grand old man, says. The
true function of government is to make
it easy to do right and difficult to do
wrong then we ought to have the CO.
operation and encouragement of every
one who has the future heath and we'll
fare of the human race at heart
Helen III. Gardner, witty, fearless and
handsome woman, who is going to read
paper entitled Heredity and Ethics on
the first day Of the congress,ls enthusiasts
tic over the stimulus to wholesome sem
timent which will be the natural out
come of this first A American purity con-
ference. You must not think we are in
tolerant in our views" she said ''our
interests are too broad and ennobling for
that. We will touch upon every phase
of subject, the proper undertaking of
sphere.
"Regarding state regulation, 1t goes
without saying that We are as an unit
and our efforts shall be unceasing to raise
the age of consent in the states which
still continue to submit to barDarous leg
islation and allow their little girls to be
held responsible for their own undoing.
''If there are good and legitimate rca-
| sons (of which we are ignorant) for such
legislation-if there is any father or
! brother who is member of any legisla-
ture of any state who honestly believes
he is justified IN voting for law by
which protection of tie person is put on
a lower plane than protection of the
purse, we will be pleased to have him
present his case. Is not that fair?
kansas and Wyoming guard girl un-
| til Is years of age, the age at which the
right to honorable marriage or the right
| to sell property comes to her. strange
coincidence. is it not? that these are the
two states that have allowed women
voice in Legislation"
Dir. Emily Blackwell, the founoer of a
woman's college, and the fighter in years
| gone by for women's right to study med
icine. is by virtue of her trained mind
| and cosmopolitan views, the result of
| years OF travel, well calculated TIC impress
people with her opinions. The paper
| which she will read to the congress, Sug-
gestions on Purity Work Derived from
| English Experience, will embrace a wide
| range of valuable and helpful informa-
| ton.
She said "The reason we dwell upon
municipal regulation SO persistently. is
that it means retrogression. The intro
duction Of the system into England in
1854 first aroused public opposition and
| discussion. Statistics, proving benfiets
| to be derived, were one by one disproved.
| The mistake has been rectified, the sys-
| tenn has been abolished over thers-it -