The Red Cloud chief., 1896-10-30

now SchooI nut he is not yet mere IN
the flesh, writes j. +. Nisbct in the Pail
Mall Budget. He remains an ideal. an
abstraction.
Let us consider him for u moment
quite seriously. There is no donbt that
the relative positions Of the sexes in
these times have changed a good deal.
That is too big n question to 20 into
here, but IL any n doubts tho fact let
him consider broadly how Tar the east
ern and western civilizations have
dr,ftcd apar; in their views Of mar
riage.
So | do not deny that new sentiments
may from time to time become cngraft-
ed upon human nature. The modern
r~cpugnance TO slavery would have been
unintelligible in ancient Rome and I
doubt whether floodcd-out or burned
MT negroes aud yellow men ever I'M
derstand tho %altruistic subscriptions
nov and again got mp at the Mansion
house for their benefit. On the other
hand, the Chinese, with their Worship
al ancestors. indulge in sentiments
which are caviarc to ourselves. No sect,
no body OF enthusiasts. need therefore
despair of bringing round society TO It's
opinions: 1t Is quite entitled to try.
But do the ladies who are clamoring
for the new man realize all that their
act implies? can hardly think so:
because the renewal of the British con-
ftitution would be a fleabite to what
they prOpGsc as q little reflection will
show.
First Of all. however. let us be agreed
upon our terms. The demand IL that
there should be but one standard
OF morality for both sexes. or course,
this is vague. There might be a level
ing down as well as n l~cvclinC M of
morality. or there might be- a compro-
mise between the two seXcs-a meet
ing halfway. If 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
ether section claims the right. as ! I'M
derstand, to retaliate in kind. for in
fidelity. However, not to be ungene-
rous, let ,s assume the prevalent de-
mand to he that men should conform to
the existing standard of morality.
Wen. that idea requires following out
n little more closely than has yet been
attempted on advanced platforms. be-
cause t. leads mp to rather strange is
sues. for which | can hardly imagine
t.. ,,n,an,nr. IN ln pr,,a,o1
Morality, It Is clear. ought TO be
something more than a verbal profess
sion; It ought to spring from inner SEN
iiment md to be closely allied to mod
fsty. Given modesty OF thought and
modcsty OF demeanOr. among members
If the male sex, there would follow. as
matter of course, the new morality.
which in turn would yield us n race of
bashful and blushing men. coy I'm love,
lacking in initiative. who would let
concealmer:, like a worm in the bud,
feed on this: 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 he at some
pains to disguise the contour of his
figure. II he adhered to the dual
garment" he would probably pun it
and frill II into fantastic shapes and
scrupulously 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 a complete
change of the inner man effected. Pro-
posals for marriage would nave 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 a
creature as emotional and retiring as
themselves. Virtue itself would become
q drug in the market. 1t would cease
10 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 a leaf out Of the
book of the Burmese maiden. to light
his invitational 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 n there would be an
end Of chivalry, which on analysis
proves to be a rather forward at
tempt on the part Of the male to in
g~ratiate himself with the female on
false pretenses.
Do the advanced ladies like this pic
/ iure? II IL m OF which they have
themselves supplied the outline. ! have
merely taken the liberty of filling in a
,ttle detail. For the carrying out of