Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-09-24
w. c. T. U.
"Those Girls Have No Mothers."

A gentleman Of high moral tone. and
of much experience of the world,
went with party of friends one night
recently to place of public entertain
ment, at summer resort, where the
young people were dancing. What the
members of the party saw there in the
way of the now popular unnamable
dances however, in the daily
papers quite frequently, dances which
originated in the slums of San Fran
cisco-utterly Disguised them. When
one of the visitors remarked, "How
can the mothers of those girls let them
dance in such a fashion," the gentle
man aforementioned replied quietly,
''Those girls have no mothers !" By
this he meant, not that their mothers
were not living, but that their mother
ing was a farce and a neglible
quantity. So far as moral control of
their daughters was concerned, those
mothers might as well have been non
existent
Now the young women who dress
and dance in the indecent fashions now
so much in vogue do not themselves
come from the slums, though the dances
did. They come from homes of ordinary
responsibility, and from well-known
schools. These maidens are from
"good society''-good society going
rapidly to seed. They are young
people doing as they please, without
let or hindrance from their parents.
Speaking plainly, the practices in
which they engage amount to sheer
and stark naturalism-a logical accom-
paniment of the philosophical natural
ism which is receiving advertisement
in many academic quarters at the
present day. They are following
nature-and following it, like the
swine at Gadara, over the precipice.
We have talked with a number of
people of good sense. and with oppor-
tunity to Judge society, and who are
not ''puritanical, as the expression
is, nor for that matter opposed to
dancing and card playing in themselves.
who have expressed unmitigated dis
gust at the excuses in which modern
society is indulging, and at the weak
ness of parents in allowing the young
people to have their own way at
country clubs. house parties and
elsewhere. A few, who deplore these
practices. ask with undue meekness,
what are you going to do about it?
| It is all over the country ~ What can
be "done about it, is to inveigh
against this demoralizing sensualism
in the press, in the pulpits, from the
professors chairs, at the clubs them
selves and in conversation with individ-
uals. When the reformer cannot
obtain the hearing of the crowds, let
him reason with individuals singly. In
this way public opinion may gradual
ly be evoked which will deal repres-
sively with these shockingly vulga1
dances, in an effective way. If neces-
sary, strengthen the hands of the
chiefs of police at the various summer
resorts to make arrests under the
present laws or pass new laws which
will meet the case. If we have law
to do away with the common drink
ing cup" why is it not of more conse-
quence to prohibit by law the common
indecency which does youth far more
harm than any germs lurking in a
drinking utensil? It is time to set the
fear of God again before the American
people, vast numbers of whom are now
doing exactly as they please without
any reference to the sanctions of
religion, and scarce any respect fo1
the conventions Of respectable society.
Are the degenerate classes in America
!, to rule US, or the God-fearing elements?
The issue is Joined over the amusement
question, and we might as we'll fight
it out along that line as on any other.
Here is clarion call to our own
ministry to bring their influence tC
bear in every practical and reasonable
way against this scandalous tendency.
-Zion's Herald.