The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-12-05

The tnloMlhN hfttNtf WI
trlbuted by one OF our readers hes
rcadins aad Eivcn serious thought
Nov 10 80 into the political side
OF the question which the party OF
aNnansion makes stand oat like
eRrgavle. impudcnt and ugiy. but
nom a social point OF view only.
when comparing the conditions
which confront students OF history
today With those conditions which
marked the beginning OF the de
cline and fall OF the Roman en-
plra there Is enough in stGht 10
suggest the query; Has America
reached her period OF decline
Both in the news and the cdlto-
rial columns OF The Star have re-
Gently appeared the unmistakable
proofs OF the growth Of an intel
iectnal vacuum in the upper-erust
OF New York's society people. who.
infected with the pride of money,
arroEate themselves the distinction
OF being the Lords anolnted. THIS
Is precisely the condition that oh
tanned In the Roman empire among
the same class OF people. in the
period which marked the begin
hlAA VI NAN W AAAAt sAAA HsAAA - 49,
mighty power
In the period 10 which refer the
Roman matrons and holy virgins
they called yestals did not carry
about With them in their muffs
PomeFanian dogs that cost from
s. 90 - $4,000 each. as do the
stltlei" ladies Of Americas me
tropoiis. but like the New York
ladies and some New York diilet-
tRntes. they aid decorate their
dogs ears with jewels and legs
with bracelets. Who has not heard
OF the gilded oats that were fed the
favorite horse of Emperor Cali
gblaf
There Is enough In this 20 aug-
gest the pesSimistic query as 70
whether America Is drifting into
the period Of decay. What Is char
acteristic among titled classes IN
New York is also characteristic
among the same classes In all Of
the large population centers OF tbs
republic. While there is no Pom.
eranian record left OF the Roman
matrons. Il Is recorded In history
that they had a similar craze fol
lap dogs and INDUCED IL at tire.
mendous cost: that they sent as fai
away as TO the forests and jungles
OF Africa for birds and birds eggs
caught and gathered az enormous
cost. 10 be used in catering TO ths
faded appetites OF their pampsret
pets.
There Is no installing that tn
lines OF the American people In th'
beginning Of the twentieth cen
fury have fallen in effeminatl
places. not only IN New York bu
On every other state metropolis. lie
any one VINO doubts this state
ment listen 20 the dialogues incl
dent to everyday street car travel
wherever transfer tickets are II
vogue. Requests for transfers 4
ride two squares. or even on
square. will be heard coming iron
both male and female passengers
and In the majority OF cases thosl
transfer tickets are used. all 10 say
the effort necessary to put forth q
walk 400 or a thousand feet Tn
vigorous and rugged constitution
and ruddy faces. Characteristic O
people who live In rural district
and who earn their bread. On &C
cordance with ancient maxims, b
the sweat OF their brows. that ar
also characteristic Of the humble
people OF Europe. are comparative
ly unknown in American cities. un
less among those recently recruite
from the farm. Indoor life lat
hours late suppers. the opposition
20 all kinds OF healthful eNercis
that will make and keep muscle
normal. are bringing on a race c
weak women which make. Of cours,
n race OF weak men inevitable
In the rural districts. and this
especially true OF European rura
districts. a walk OF three or fou
miles for a woman Is not reEarde
rs worth a second thought A wal
OF that length. taken by any mod
ern clty-bred woman. would b
discussed BY the Sorosis clubs 10
weeks and occupy half column 4
the next Sundays society events
! now recall a rugged Engisf
woman. who. In her gfFlbsen
thought nothing OF walking ~Iles
miles TO church and sevssyrinr
home again every sunday = girls
And she was a type Of sgtorbood
and women Of her ps.gsions and
where the various 90 In everg
nostrums now adyerrdng the nor
newspaper for ri were never
NAL in Womssserae tbe mother
heard Of She ~ children everv
OF a large fassecame. Ilke herself
one OF whesseronE and a eredlt to
rugged AZ ancestors.
their rue the legitimate results
VIM aodern American way Of
OF = OF the craze for fads which
nyg-for their inception the con-
hhff1en that they must entail no ef-
81 Weak mothers and. as a con-
Sequence, weak sons and daughters
tf there are any sons and daugh-
fersl. and weaker generations stiil
20 follow.
In our grandfather's days: nay.
In our fathers days. who ever
heard Of the various baby foods.
the names OF which are now house.
hold WOrds2 There was but one
kind Of food then for babies. the
Kind old Dame Nature always had
ready ad properly prepared. and as
consequence babies thrived and
are now strong men and women.
Even the home is no longer the
proper place. according 10 the mod
ern IDEAS, IN which children should
be born. A hospital. with all Of It's
artificial surroundings. Is the prop
or place for weaklings 10 begin IN.
and unless some radical changes
nre soon wrought. II will be the In.
evitable place for them 10 end In.
and that. too. about as soon a. they
are born. The Age Is effeminata--
effeminate IN tastes and effemlnata
an strength.
In the period Of Trojan aud the
Antonines, when Rome was in the
full vigor Of It's might and power
Roman women. like tho Spartan
were strong almost to the degree
of masculinity. and were capable
when handing the shield 10 tlralr