The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-26
NEWYORKLKEROME
MAGISTRATES COMPARES MORALS
IN TIME OF CAESARS.
Public Drinking Increases--LOw-eut
Gowns at Opera and Taking OF
Young Women to ImmOdest
shows Not Worst Of EVIL

In a signed article published In The
New York Globe OF Sunday, Magts-
trate Leroy B. Crane says:
II believe that the public exhibit
ton Of society women in extreme low
cut gowns, at the opera and other
eral abandon of others. especially young
eral abandon of others. especially you
girls, at restaurants throughout the
city, and the conditions and tempta-
lions surrounding girls Of tender age
at middle class dances in certain psb-
lie halls, and their associations gener-
ally prove that morality in New York
has reached the status approaching
that OF Rome IN her declining days.
Women who lose their modesty lose
one of the sweetest characteristics OF
their lives and a mother cannot ex-
poets her children to be modest Mess
she sets the example.
"Do you know that I would not
permit my daughters to attend any
public entertainment where slight rail-
ment Is the rule. and look upon the
bold exhibition OF women who rank
high in the society of the world7
believe that 1t not only has a de-
moralizsng influence. especially upon
the young, but that the exhibition is
itself an indication of low moral tone.
cannot understand how chaste, mod
est woman can go out into public
dressed as ID inc CuoIOua pres
emit day. However, that Is what you
see at the opera, at the many restau-
rants and on the stage. Suppose that
the women of the Bowery were to
exhibit themselves in such a costume
as is worn at the many places of
amusement, hotels, restaurants. etc.
They would be liable to arrest, and
censured, at least.
Moral Tone of the Lowest.
Now while 1t is true, as has been
sad. that morality Is largely a ques-
ton of geography. it is also true that
different moral codes must be sepa-
rated by more than "a mile and q half.
The scenes enacted nightly about New
York believe exhibit as low a moral
tone as has ever been shown in any
civilized society, ancient or modern.
The French, during the Revolution,
had a Goddess of Reason. who was q
woman OF the streets. Therogine was
no more of a public character than
some of the queens of the stage of
whom we have made many heroines.
Why, within the past year a young
woman whose lack OF character was
the cause of one of the most sensation
al trials, has actually set the fashion
for young girls by the clothing she
has worn. Instead OF being shocked
by even the mention of her name. girls
in their teens have initiated the dres-
sing OF her hair, the angle or her hair
and the cut OF her collar. We shrink
at the horrors of the French revolu-
ton, yet we calmly tolerate conditions
Of sex morality that made Paris mo-
torious
I'm the year 1908 young married
couples, old married couples and IN
married couples may be seen by the
score tmbibing together. They some-
times call 1t bibing together. They
sometimes call it Bohemia We'll. In
my time former stars of Bohemia have
been brought to the bar because they
were found at night shining from
park bench instead OF a bed. The ma
tority Of monuments 70 Bohemia are
those wooden headpieces reared In
Potter's Field.
Loss Of Strlctness I'm All Glasses.
Don't let 1t be understood that
think this low moral tone is shown
only by the people on the heights
Of society or finance, among people
who can afford to dine and dwell In
expensive hotels. Though their de-
moralization because Of their educas
ton and environment, and having the
better opportunities to see the. righl,
men and women in the humber walks
Of life are far from the old standards
OF conduct.
Gan over the city dances are Gtven