Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-21
DEGENDRAcY OF SOCIETY.
a Paper on This Subject by Presiden
McKinleys Pastor.

(Rev. DR.. +. NJ. Bristol in the New
York WORLDLY
L protest against the application of
the term society" to that little set of
llctle 1oois who contribute nothing but
scandal to the annals of community.
The true society of America, composed
OIL the brains and virtue of her typical
men and women. to be found in Wash
lngton. New York, Baltimore. Boston.
Philadelphia, Chicago and In every CITY
ana town and village of this country,
Is worthy Of all honor and respect
Husbands never had more virtuous
wives nor wives truer husbands; sons
never had sweeter, purer mothers nor
mothers nobler, cleaner sons: brothers
never mad more chaste. intelligent sis
terS. nor sisters more heroic chivalrous,
!iisn-Ihlnoed brothers than they have
to-day and In our own America
Democracy is conducive to virtue
me most corrupt, licentious social
conditions are found where class dis
tinctions prevail. equality is denied and
woman is robbed of her right, her free
dom and her independence. The mo-
raly healthy condition of American
society Is due to the freedom. intel
iigence and exalted character of Amer
ican womanhood. And that woman
mood. l claim. is the highest. purast
type that has yet appeared in the ev-
olution of society. In contrast with
this American society let the pessi-
mist study Athenan society In the
days of Aspasia, Roman society in the
time of Cleopatra, French society in
the days of Recamier and Maintenon,
English society In the reign of Eliza
beth or Charles II or the Georges.
What encouraging progress has been
made in the moral sentiments and
standards of society since the Ameri-
can revolution gave aristocracy and
sovereignty to the common people! The
virtue and honor of this world ere in
the common people
Who determine the characters of So
clety? No mere four hundred shallow
Drained coterie OF any one community
who are living on the sweat of their
men and women. so called. who can
shamelessly sit together through a. per-
Torrance of "Sapho" or '"The Degener-
ates" presented by actors and actresses
who are vainly trying to secure a vir-
tuous reputation by breaking into
american society; not the nameless
few silly things who sell themselves
and their fathers fortunes to foreign
degenerates for titles which our virile,
high-minded young Americans would
not wipe their feet on. Not these. but
rather the noble rank and file of man
hood, where you find the ideal fathers
and mothers, husbands and wives.
est hearts and brains and hands are
creating the moral and material great
ness of our free and Christian Ameri-
canism.
I am bound to say that the highest
standard OF American society may he
found at the National Capital. The
social atmosphere of Washington is
sweet and wholesome. 1t was never
more so. No social scandals tarnlsh
the purity of our official or Congress
sional life. Finer specimens of moral
intellectual and patriotic womanhood
cannot be found in this country or in
the world than are to be met at the
social functions of the beautiful capt.
tai. where the best traditions of repub-
lican purity and democratic simplicity
are preserved and exemplifed in the
domestic virtue. affection and hap
piness of the first home of the land.
Surely the American people may
justly felicitate themselves on the high
and unsullied record of that first home
of the land from the glorious day Of
Martha Washington to the good and
happy day of Ida Mckinley.