Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
DEGENERAcY OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.
Paper ON This Subject by President
McKinle3s Pastor.

n
Rev. DR.. F. NJ. Bristol 10 the New York World.
protest against the application of the
term society" to That little set of little
fools who contribute nothing but scandal
to the annals of a conmurity. The true So
ciety of America, composed of the brains
and virtue of her typical men and women,
to be found in Washington, New York, Bal
tinore, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and
in every city and town apd village of this
country, is worthy ortaH honor and respect.
Husbands never had more virtuous wives
nor wives truer husbands, sons never had
sweeter. purer mothers nor mothers nobier,
cleaner sons: brothers neyer had more
chaste. intelligent sisters nor sisters more
heroic. chiwe!Tous, high,ninded brothers
than they have today and in our own
America.
Democracy is conducive to virtue. The
most corrupt, licentious social conditions are
found where class distinctions prevail,
equality is denied and woman Is robbed Of
her right. her freedom and her indepen-
Of American society is due to the
freedom. intelligence and exalted char
acter of American womanhood. And
that womanhood, I claim, Is the high
est purest type that has yet appeared in
the evolution of society. In contrast with
this American society let the pessimist
study Athenian society In the days of As
pasta, Roman society in the time of Cleo
camier and Maintenon, English society In
the reign of Elizabeth or Charles II or the
Georges. What encouraging progress has
been made in the moral sentiments and
standards of society since the American
revolution gave aristocracy and sovereign
ty to the common peopleL The virtue and
honor of this world are in the common peo-
pie.
No mere four hundred shallow-brained CO.
terfe of any one community who are living
on the sweat of their fathers or grand
fathers faces; not the men and women, so
called, who can shamelessly sit together
through performance of 'Sapho" or 1.-THE
Degenerates'' presented by actors and &C
tresses who are vafnly trying to secure a
virtuous reputation by breaking into Amer
things who sell themselves and their faith
ers' fortunes to foreign degenerates for
titles which our virtle high-rninded young
Americans would not wipe their feet on.
Not these, but rather the noble rank and
file Of manhood and womanhood where you
find the ideal fathers and mothers, hus-
bands and wives, brothers and sisters, who
by their honest hearts and brains and hands
are creating the moral and material great
ness of our free and Christian Americanism
I am bound to say that the highest
standard Of American society may be found
at the national capital. The social atmos-
phere of Washington is sweet and whole
some. 1t was never more so. No social
scandals tarnish the purity Of our official
or congressional life Finer specimens of
moral. intellectual and patriotic woman
hood cannot be found in this country or in
the. world than are to be met at the social
functions of the beautiful capital, where
the best traditions Of republican purity and
democratic simplicity are preserved and ex-
emplfied in the domestic virtue, affection
and happiness of the first home of the land
Surely the American people may justly
felicitate themselves on the high and I'M
sullied record of that first home of the land
f,-s- <~1., l.
ton to the good and happy day of Ida Nc
kinley.