Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-10-29


magazine article
emanating from the
new school. but he is not yet here in
the flesh, writes ]. F. Nisbet in the Pail
Mall Budget. He remains an IDEAL an
abstraction.
Let us consider him for moment
quite seriously. There is no Doubt that
the relative positions of the sexes in
these times have changed a good deal.
That is too big question to go into
here, but II any one doubts the fact let
him consider broadly how far the east
ern and western civilizations have
drifted apart in their views Of mar
Tiage.
So do not deny that new sentiments
may from time to time become engraft-
ed upon human nature. The modern
repugnance to slavery would have been
unintelligible in ancient Rome and /
doubt whether flooded-out or burned
out negroes and yellow men ever un-
derstand the altruistic subscriptions
now and again got up at the Mansion
house for their benefit. On the other
hand, the Chinese, with their worship
Of ancestors, indulge in sentiments
which are caviare to ourselves. No sect,
no body Of enthusiasts, need therefore
despair Of bringing round society to its
opinions; 1t is quite entitled to try.
But do the ladies who are clamoring
for the new man realize all that their
act implies? I can hardly think so;
because the renewal of the British con-
stitution would be fleabite to what
they propose, as little reflection will
show.
First Of all, however, let us be agreed
upon our terms. The demand is that
there should be but one standard
Of morality for both sexes. OF course,
this is vague. There might be level
ing down as well as levellng up Of
morality, or there might be compro-
mise between the two sexes-a meet
ing halfway. II there was any hesita-
ton In judging of this matter 1t would
hardly be for the advanced ladies to
complain, seeing that one section Of
them Is inviting manufacturers and
others to send in designs for a new
dual garment"-or, vulgarly, trousers
for everyday female wear; while an
other section claims the right, as UNI
derstand, to retaliate in kind, for in
fidelity. However, not to be ungene-
rous, let us assume the prevalent de-
mand to be that men should conform to
the existing standard of morality.
Well, that idea requires following out
a little more closely than has yet been
attempted on advanced platforms, BEE
cause 1t leads up to rather strange isI'
sues, for which I can hardly imagine
Its promoters to be prepared.
Morality, 1t is clear, ought to bO
something more than a verbal profes.
sion; 1t ought to spring from inner sem
timent and to be closely allied to mod
esty. Given modesty of thought and
modesty Of demeanor among members
of the male sex, there would follow, as
a matter Of course, the new morality,
which in turn would yield us race Of
Nashful and blushing men, coy in love,
hacking in initiative, who would let
ccncealment, like worm in the bud,
feed on their damask cheek rather than
declare their sentiments, Nor would
the change end here. We can hardly
doubt but that the new man, actuated
by his new feelings, would be at some
pains to disguise the contour Of his
figure. If he adhered to the dual
garment" he would probably puff 1t
and frill 1t into fantastic shapes and
Bcrupulously avoid the slightest expos
ure OF ankle. The athlete would blush
ingly fling aside his conventional garb
as too indicate.
Side by side with these developments
there could hardly fail to be complete
change Of the inner man effected. Pro-
posals for marriage would have to
come indifferently from either side.
Indeed, many new men would probably
never get over a sort of maidenly re-
pulsion to the opposite sex, and there
would besides be little attraction to
them in the prospect Of mating with
creature as emotional and retiring as
themselves. Virtue itself would become
a drug in the market. 1t would cease
to be priced, because temptation would
cease to assail 1t.
Too modest to confess his passion, If
he had one, the new man would be
constrained to take leaf out Of the
book Of the Burmese maiden. to light
his invltational lamp in the window
and wait patiently for the suitors Of
the opposite sex to come. Would these
respond? In many cases perhaps not,
and there would arise the difficulty
which will be remembered confronted
the bashful Benedict, as to how the
world should be peopled.
The universal sameness Of the sexes
would cause them to lose all interest
in each other and there would be an
end of chivalry, which on analysis
proves to be rather forward" at
tempt on the part of the male to in
gratiate himself with the female on
false pretenses.
Do the advanced ladies like this pic