The Topeka state journal., 1899-11-23
MORAL PURITY.
Susan B. Anthony Takes Her
Sisters to Task.
Says Eastern Women ShoHld
Purify Morals
OF MEN FRI E n ID S.
There Are Worse Things Than
POlygamy Abroad.
Best Let Congress, Unaided,
Deal With Roberts.
OF MEN FRIEND S.

Rochester. Nov. 23.-From criticisms
that have appeared in the press Of the
country since the so-called Roberts
notion came up in the convention or
the State Federation of Women's Clubs
held in this city, in which 1 made
short speech recommending the fedora
tion to take no action in the matter. 1
think 1 have been grossly misunder-
stood and probably misquoted.
No person could abhor polygaIny
more than myself, but 1 deteSt even
more the license taken by men unuef
the loose morals existing in what the
MOrmOns call the Gentle world Ihe
point is not that 1 uphold polygamy
or any of its expOnentS, but L DO feel
more charity for a Mormon when ne
tranSgresses the laws of the land, VINO
has been taught from his birth UhaI II
is not only his right but his duty to
God to enter into plural marriages, ana
that the man who has the greatest
number Of wives stands highest IN
Gods favor, than I do for the man who
has been taught from his cradle that
the objectionable sin is the deSecratIO
of wmaOnhOOd. His religious training
and the moral code of civilization IN
which he is reared all make 1t crime
for man to violate the seventh COM
mandment or the established law OF
mOnOgamy. Yet, judging from the LeS-
timOny we see all about us-our Doors
of Hope, our lying-in and founding hos
pitfalls and our fallen wOmanhOod-the
life is rare. Therefore I have more re-
spect for the Mormon pOlygamist, who
follows his teachings and lives up TO
the traditions of the religious sect by
marrying the different women with
whom he cOhabits, supporting them and
their children, than have for the man
who defies public opinion and in the
light of our advanced civilization and
religious moral teaching gives his name
AMI his support to one openly while
secretly desecrating the lives of other
women, thus committing a crime
against his lawful wife as well as the
other woman or women whom he
wrongs. If he have no wife the sin
is as great against morality, and he
should suffer equally with the woman.
Therefore, while abhOrring the prin-
ciples of pOlygamy, think the wives
and the mothers of the east might bet
ter enter a crusade against the licen-
tiOusness existing all around US and
pOlluting our manhood, and leave it to
our lawmakers to settle the matter of
Roberts fitness to be their associate in
congress.
If women would require the same
moral purity in men that men require
of women, and if mothers would refuse
to entertain in their homes or give their
sweet, virtuous young daughters to
men whom they know to have trans
gressed the moral code, society would
soon undergo a purifcatiOn-a revOlu-
ton If our women would take this
decided stand it would strike the strong
est, most decisive blow at pOlygaTny,
for the root of the two eVIlS-pOlygamy
in Utah and Righteousness in the east
is the same and nothing but the high
est moral teaching and the example Of
pure lives can blot out either.
With that man Roberts I have no
sympathy personally. He IS a strong
anti-suffra gist and did all in his power
to prevent the women Of Utah from
securing the ballot.
SUSAN B. ANTHONY.