Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-26
Women. BICYCLES and Morals.


against bicycle riding by women, and
the matter is receiving wide attention
in the newspapers. This seems strange
al this time when people of both sexes
and all ages and conditions are as
much at home upon their wheels as
upon their feet. When the bicycle, as
it exists today, was new, there was
some controversy, for a time, as to the
propriety of its use by women. 1t was
soon shown that the assertion that
woman might not appear in public on a
bicycle without doing damage to her
reputation or even her character was
absurd. Then the question became
indulge in that kind of exercise. 1t is
pretty well settled that moderate eXer-
else on the bicycle is not only proper,
but also healthful, for women.
But these Indianapolis clergymen are
digging into the musty past after ma
terial for sensational sermons. and one
of them was rewarded by letter from
the Chicago chief of police. This letter
has been given wide publicity, and the
following extract is a fair sample of it.
Il am not an advocate of the use of
the bicycle among women. when view
ing it from a morality phase. Women
of refinement and exquisite moral
training addicted to the use of the BIZ
cycle are not infrequently thrown
among the uncultivated and degener-
ate element of both sexes. whose
coarse. bOisterous and immoral gest-
ures are heard and seen While speed
ing along our streets and bOuleVards.
Many doubtless escape the cOntamina-
ton, although the contagiOn be ever
present. A large number of our fe-
male bicyClists wear shorter dresses
than the laws Of morality and decency
permit. thereby inviting the improper
conversations and remarks of the de-
PRAYED and immoral. l most certainly
consider the adoption of the bicycle by
women as detrimental 70 the advance
ment of mOrality-nay, even its stabll-
ity. l have always entertained deep
sympathy for the hosts Of noble and
honorable l3uleS VINO. Nfllit lIdlnS
their wheels. are frequently associated
with women whose morality will not
stand investigation and whose CONVEX
sation is invariably coarse and I'M
dignified.'
This shows that the Chicago chief Of
police is in a bad way and needs medi-
cal advice at once. Or else it proves
that Chicago is worse than we have
ever supposed it to be, and its men and
women Of a lower moral standard than
those in other sections Of the country.
Bad company can be found almost
anywhere, but it is certain a bicycle
will not carry one into it any more
than a horse or an express train. The
woman who cannot maintain her self
a drawing-room, and the girl who can
not be trusted on bicycle cannot be
trusted anywhere.
That woman cyclists are sometimes
compelled to see and hear things which
affront their sensibilties is unfortu-
nately true. but to pretend that these
are constant, unavoidable and newt
able consequences of wheeling is abso-
lutely silly. The percentage of Vul-
garians of both sexes among thou
sand cyclists is about the same that It
! is among an equal number of bathers
in the summer surf, or holiday prone
| naders in a public park. 1t is just as
| impossible to keep the obnoxious rider
off the avenues and bOulevards as it is
to keep the Objectionable bather off the
beach Yet who shall say that because
disreputable persons engage in both
sports respectable women and men
must neither ride nor swim? Are the
vicious and vulgar to be permitted 10
monopoliZe two forms of recreation
which are so thoroughly pleasurable
and wholesome? The assumption that
bicycling exerts an immoral influence
upon women is purely gratuitous.
Even this Chicago police chief gen
eralizes and guesses, without prodnc-
ing a scrap of evidence to support his
conclusions The sport of riding is
what the riders make Of it for them
selves. If a woman cyciist seeks evil
associations she is likely to find them
just as she will in other forms OF
amusement, but if she. wants to avoid
them she can deAso with little effort
the whole thing being largely a matter
of personal choice and personal con
, science. -' --
The instruments now known as the