The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
GHE REGULATION OF VICE.
HISS WILLARD ON THE
OF LADY HENRY SOMERSET.

10 REGRETS That That Lady Approves or any
Form or Regulating vice In lndih-knoWs
LADY Somerset Has Been Advised BY GOOD
Wien, but Hopes she VIII Change Her views.
Toronto. Oct. 23.-Much interest was taken
n the opening Of the Worlds Convention OF the
woman's Christian Temperance Union here to-
day, owing to the difference OF opinion Thai eX-
lists between Lady Henry Somerset and the
American women regarding the contagious dis
eases act in England and the expectation that
Miss Frances e.. Willard, the President OF the
union, would refer TO tho question and in no
uncertain terms.
Miss Willard reiterated hor repugnance to
any form Of regulation Of vice. She was not
going to waste words in denouncing the believ.
ers In compromise. Good men and good wom-
on hold such opinions. Then, almost on tho
verge of tcars, she spoke OF Lady Henry Somer-
sets belief in the regulation OF vice in India.
She herself would sooner cut off her right hand
than hold such opinions, but she could not con-
denim the holders OF thcm. The real remedy.
she thought, was purity" and though she had
often praised Great Britain, she must condemn
the mearncss which had cut the percentage OF
married men in tho British army in India from
80 per cent. to q per cent. The young men
were not So much TO blame as were the Colonies.
She said further on the subject Of Lady Somer-
sets views:
Z II an cut deeply, I cannot say how deeply.
that she should believe as she does. But /
know she received that opinion from good
mon and good. women and not bad. 1 believe
and l hope, oh. how fervently / hope. she will
not always hold that opinion.
NO good can come OF legalizing tho VIOLA
ton OF two laws OF God: trst, Thou shalt not
commit adultery secord, Thou shalt love thy
ucightor as thy self.' Whatever desrades tho
women OF India puts the stamp OF deterioration
upon ali women. To this 1t will DO replied that
they have degraded themselves, and the means
proposed are only 10 mitigate the con sequences,
but it makes all the difference in the world to
MS whether their degreda ion came about
through any forces that We have set in mo-
Lady Tcnry's long and sorrowful life, her
pictures, her work in reforming more unfortu.
nate women than all others put ogcther-theso
s s1aakab Sg4oa Ged bless Bier to our 4h9 fss SS5sr@HisAti0n un-
Mi 5 Willard ridiculed the charge that she had
been bribed. They had chosen to attack the
had come to her when she was III and unable to
States. Times are hard. Why not give 1000
back TO the women of America, and ! will help
ysfH s.S sI'1 i x sGp l are S Se.II hard. Miss .sH %,ll o4,sn sq aid;
RIIIs, how often have I thanked Goo that lie
Shortly afterward Miss Willard sat down,
and Mrs. Hughes, an English delegate. arose to
move an address Of thanks. Before she had
finished her address Mrs. Hughes broke down
IN ulIuding 10 the kindness Of Miss Willard in
speaking so beautifully of their dear President,
Lady Isabel. Immediately .aferward Miss
Slack read a cablesram just received from
Lady Somerset, as follows:
May the Father bless you, Chrlst's tender
truth. My prayers are with you.
Referring to the Dominion. Mss WilIsrd said
Canada leads the world. to-day in the great
liquor prohibition struggle. and It leads with
cheering prospects Of success. Tho country is
Homogeneous; it has not that great foreign
PPop5iation to contend nd With that almost fatally
believe Canada will carry prohibition"
Great interest is being taken here in tho CUES
ton Lady Somerset has raised, and a morning
newspaper. the Horld, deals very plainly. with
ulation, based on a scientific study OF facts. Is
q mass Of female emotion, talk, and well-meant
but ill-directed protest. Lady Somerset is to
be driven out because she has had the sense to
recognize the fact and to be silent for q time.
We are With the English woman as against her
emotional opponents"