Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-10-04
THINK OVER THESE AT HONE,

At party recently given there We're
two young men present who were
dressed in the height Of fashion and
looked 'just lovely" Who were they?
Well, one of them had served term of
several years in the penitentiary and
the other was a Polk county jail bird
The present Indications are that they
will both be in felon's cell again
There is no objection to any one re-
forming, but is it necessary to take
them to ones bosom, metaphorically
speaking, in order to work such
reformation? There are too
many people who labor under the mis-
taken idea that where anyone has COM
mitted wrong against the laws of
society that it is absolutely necessary
to place that one at the head of the
procession, take them into ones home
and introduce them to the wife and
mother and daughter, in order to effect
such reformation. lmpurity is more
contagious than purity. The immutable
laws of nature have made it so. A man
who injuries girls reputation aud
character is allowed to take his former
place after lapse of time, while the
girl, who conld not have done the
wrong without a mans assistance is
irretrieyably lost to respecta bic society.
The equity of the case is entirely lost
sight of in this world. Those who
have to reform should expect to be at a
disadvantage because their own acts
have wrought the change in their con-
dition. Those who have lead pure
lives should lead those who have lead
impure lives is the only correct line of
action. But about these two young
men Who introduced them into So
ciety? Who is responsible? 1t is our
opinion that the person who introduced
them should be held as responsible to
society as the person who signs a note
as an endorser. This thing of introduce
ing men and women of whom one knows
substantially nothing should end at
once, no matter what the profession or
title We do not believe that good
suit of clothes and a white shirt should
be a passport into any of the many
good homes in Iowa or anywhere else.
Again, there are men who indulge in
the festive games called ''craps' and
''pOker, and we venture the assertion
that there never was a man who ac-
complished any good who followed this
branch of law breaking. monkey
can sshoot craps" as well as a man.
Poker is facinating but by no means
elevating. There are men who oc-
casionally play these games, who would
profit by taking that amount OF money
home to their families, buying father
and mother something useful, or buy
ing school books for brothers and sis
tiers. There are a thousand ways in
which the gamblers money could be
made to pay a hundred fold in the way
of some good deeds. Look at the men
who shoot craps and play poker and
see If the average comes up to the
general standard of men. There is
nothing elevating or enlightening about
it. No man IS made better and no fam
lily is made happier by the gamblers
devices In short, there should be a
standard in good society for the morals
of men and women, no matter whether
the men and women are lawyers, doe
tors. editors, ministers, or whether
they are in the common walks of life.
Without a standard and without order
everything will remain in chaos.