The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-06
Rev. Mr.. Wesley Says Moral Force
of Community Should be EX-
erted in Behalf of Morality.

their foul betrayers' names not published
is problem never satisfactorily ex-
planned by our police department.
4. Record of the names of the men
| who own property I'm the tenderloin dis
trict. would, 40 1 am Informed, make
public the names OF prominent business
men on Westminster street. The names
OF such mon ought 10 be made public so
that decent people might withdraw their
patronage. OF course all morally decent
people would do this.
5. There is a very strong sentiment,
and this In quarters least expected. in ia
vor of licensing vice and restricting IL
20 certain districts. This is too nauseous
a subject to be discussed In public as
plainly as II might be, yet, this may be
suggested-there Is neither justice nor
common sense in the inspection and IL
cense OF the one party unless the other
party is subject to the same law, a law
ever Infamous and useless wherever in
force.
6. A very wide spread and utterly false
idea generally prevails that il is neccs-
sary for lust 10 be occasionally satisfied.
The unsullied virtue and purity OF thou
sands who have, In many religious de-
nominations, dedicated themselves 10 cell
ibacy and the service OF God is "a sufn-
cient answer TO this lust excusing excuse.
Were IL true, why the man more than
the woman? Wny brand a woman who
but obeys this natural law (supposing this
idea true), and not brand the man? Be-
cause man, not woman, makes our laws.
There is no other reason.
Z. Many of us remember how hard II
was a few years ago, to induce our Rhode
Island Legislators TO raise the age of con-
sent. / believe, in this state. no woman
under twenty-one can make a Will dis
posing OF real estate and no woman under
eighteen can will her personal property.
IL these things are so will some OF our
wise legislators show by what right a
woman, can, at a less age. dispose OF that
which is OF greater value than thousands
OF gold and silver. namely her personal
honor and Virtue2
There exists no sound reason why the
age OF consent should be a day less than
eighteen. There are many sound reasons
why. with obvious exceptions, IL should
be twenty-one
s. Our grand juries have. time and
time again. shown a frightful ignorance
OF ethics as well as most deplorable de-
fciency in moral courage and principle.
for some unexplained reason. chiefly
where questions OF morality came before
them.
For reasons best known 10 themselves,
case after case about which there was no
question OF guilt, except in the mind of
the jury. was ignored.
.. There is also. IN too many ot our
churches. a lack OF courage I'm dealing
with this class OF crimes. Too often both
parties in such cases are left unreproved
seldom. indeed, Is discipline administered.
II is quite generally the custom TO blame
the woman and to eyonerate the man
In from seventy-nvs 20 eighty per cent
OF all cases of immortality the man is
much more 80 blame than the woman. ....
In about the same proportion tho victim
is ostracized and the tempter welcomed
into tho very best society Far rather
welcome the erring sister and boycott the
man. The man who forgets II f. his duty
10 protect every woman. fallen or un-
fallen is unworthy his manhood.
The man who helps 10 hold back In the
| pools Of pollution those who arc already
sinking is a disgrace 10 everything pure
and holy. All who have made this ques-
| tion careful study fun we'll know that
one immoral man In community is a
Tar greater menace 90 the purity OF wom-
anhood tss we'll as 10 that Of manhood
than would be half dozen impure wom-
| en-
| The condition % morals and ~ moral
sentiment II deplorable- WHAT Is THE
| DECENCN or PROVIDENCE GOING
| TO DO ABOUT IT.
ERNEST q WELLESLEY WESLEY.