The independent., 1903-04-02
The Past and Present

Judge OF the Iuture.
The corner stone and foundation of
humanity and civilization is justice,
equal justice to all, everywhere, at
all times and in al, places. Neither
parentage, age or sex can modify JUS
tice.
There are many acts that today are
counted criminal, that in ancient
times were sanctioned by law and by
church. The only way to account for
it is that our best men are liable to be
mistaken and make mistakes. God
never makes mistakes. He was, He
is and ever will be the same.
Moses was criminal and had he
not hastily fed would undoubtedly
have been punished. He must have
been converted after that or God new
er would have chosen him as me-
dunn of communication with the
Israelites.
David's acts were samples OF the
most heinous crimes. Yet Solomon,
the wisest man of ages, was the on
spring of David's crime. How won
derful that Solomon should give such
glowing descriptions of virtuous love
as he had hundreds of wives. Sucn
men today would not be received as
Bible writer's.
Look at the marriage relations In
those days. If God had intended that
a man should have hundred wives
and concubines he would have made
provisions in nature for a hundred
girl babies for every boy baby.
Later down they burned wives on
funeral piles of husbands, but never
burned husbands. Burning alive
would be painful to man.
Still later they burned witches, but
never burned wizard. Nineteen
women were SO murdered in this coune
try. A broom stick without any
broom was evidence against the own
er. for witches rode through the air
en- broomsticks. All this was the
work of the pretended Christian
church.
Still more modern was the crime OF
slavery sanctioned by our own gov
ernment and by our own churches.
Slavery was in line with polygamy in
many respects. General Custis, father
of General Lees wife, publicly boasted
of being the father OF 400 OF his
slaves.
AS late as 1914 the laws of England
provided for the sale of wives, either
by public auction or by private SALE
The transfer was as complete and le-
gal as the sale of COW. There is
record in one county or shire OF 81
such sales being made in one year.
1t was an easy way of divorce. One
John Hall only month after mar
riage led his wife by a rope around
her neck to the auction block. She
was sold to the highest bidder for two
shillings and six pence, and the rope
for six pence. The auctioneer's fee was
2 pence and the recorders fee pence,
so the rope paid expenses.
Up to 1880 every state in this coun-
try recognized the right of husband
to whip his wife, The little state OF
Delaware stipulated that he should
not use a stick thicker than a mans
thumb. This was step toward Wo.
mans rights.
Two women still live who have done
more to elevate the race than any ten
living men. They are Julia Ward
Howe and Susan B. Anthony. Their
third classmate died only few dayr
ago-Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The
age of each stood between 80 and 80.
Julia wrote the Battle Hymn of the
Republic Elizabeth called the first
woman's meeting ever called in Amer
lea. Susan paid the last two thou
sand dollars to gain the admission OF
girls to the Rochester university. With
these in line stands Miss Frances Will
lard.
Now for the future.
Even marriages should be advo-
Gated. Smokers should marry smok-
ers, drinkers should marry drinkers,
libertines should marry prostitutes.
Marriage should be recognized by
law and by conscience as the nearest
relation on earth. The wife should be
made the only heir of the husband and
the husband the only heir of the wife.
In case of mutual divorce everything
should be equally divided. In case of
divorce from crime or vice, the Grim
inal should be cut off entirely. Young
people leave father and mother, sis
IL