Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-04-13

F. - ion. Wanton PRIDE N luxury IN high places beSpeak a
GENERAL WANT OF MORAL TONE, and the prophet
points out that this frivoEtY in man o woman will meet its
doom, that the perfumes will be exchanged for a stencil, the
waistband for the rough! cord of poverty, the mcn will fall in war, the
marriage state ~wi&decine and the HIGHEST INTERESTS of the
nation will suffer.
This sis the lesson that I would point out and enforce: That the sad
dest and last symptoms of national decline are found in womanly folly.
Corruption may spread far and wide and demoraizo the community,
but there is hope for both the church and the state so long as the wives
and the mothers, the daughters and the sisters retain their IORAL
INTEGRITY. When that is gone, all is gone.
If "history in philosophy teaches by example the American po-
pie should take the warning, for there is no lesson PALMER
TAUGHT in the republics of history than that luxury, extravaganza
and immortality consequent upon vast wealth in the hands of the few
are the CERTAIN FORERUNNERS OF DECAY. While his
tory can be studied it is singular that the American republic will not
read the lesson'and take warning.
know full well that the evils of which / write re committed by
the men as well as the women, but I believe that their influence, if it
were exerted on the right side, would soon correct the evil on the mans
side. And my appeals TO THE WOMAN, because the world has
taken woman as its standard of all that is good, of all that is pure, of
Thousands of our business and professional men n today devoting
themselves to the one object of gaining the wherewithal to cut a dash
in society and keep sunshine in the house by the unlimited indulgence
of a fashion pampered womans fancies.
This extravaganza, so widespread and alarminely on the increase,
is, all in all, THE GREATEST MORAL EVIL WHICH TODAY
AFFECTS OUR NATION, and, while it is true that the privileged
classes can afford to do these things, the splendor of which our ex-
tremev wealthy are so extraordinarily fond, their doings, which
are continually reflected upon all classes, are demoralizing not only the
middle and the lower classes, but. injuring THE COMING GENER-:
ALTON by the contempt thrown upon the sober virtues of industry
and economy. y
There are families in our land spending, it has been reliably esi-
mated, $4,000 a year to live. Indeed, the newspapers have given
us instances where these men and women have admitted that THEY
COULD SCARCELY MAKE BOTH ENDS MEET ON $1,000
A DAY.
I know that the men are just as much idolaters of fashion as
women; they sacrifice IN a different part of the altar. There are men
in New York wearing 5000 sleeve buttons. 1t is a common thing
for men to pay $50 for choice seats at prize fights. Racing stables are
maintained with horses WORTH 100000 APIECE. During the
racing season 81 100000 is wagered each day at the race tracks and
in the pool rooms of the country. The public pays upward of $4,000,
900 every wear in admission to the six tracks in the state of New York.
One of our fnancicrs paid $780, 900 for a set of Dickens works, $780,
900 for tapestry and in bringing some fine china through the customs
house placed the value of $4,000 on a single plate. The wife of an
American millionaire paid $125yoOo for a set of furniture of four
pieces.
FASHION KILLS PtETY, DWARFs THE INTELLECT, wrHERs
GENIUS AND EATS OUT TIE HEART OF THE PEOPLE. 1T HAS
MADE SOCIETY A GREAT oIoWROoM HOLLOW AND iNsINcERE.
1T KILLS MORE THAN TIE HARDsHlPs OF POVERTY. FASHION
S THE LEADING UNDERTAKEN.