The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-02-15
IHE PEOPLES FORUM.
The Serpent in the Birds Nest.


place before them the choice between
the poor house and this lie. A girl of
prepossessi8g manners came to a society
in city and after leaving $40 asked
them to help some one else before they
became what she was. tried house
work but washing was beyond my
strength. got place in a shop at
So 90 a week with the promise, that at
the end OF three months it would be
increased according to my ability. l
was discharged and novice taken on
the same plan. Then | was in an Of
flee at SO 90 per week. Then doing up
packages in a grocery store with the
promise that when | got the business l
would get Sc or 81 per week. 1t was
the old story discharged and a novice
taken. Then l was IN fancy store at
81 90 a week, on the stipulation that l
must dress as we'll as other young
ladies' 70 do that had to live on one
meal and part of one each day. Half
starved. depressed and disheartened,
l dritted where l am"
The supply is kept up by means of
runners whose special work is to be-
guile country girls. Men are frequent
ly engaged in this work. They may be
agents in employment Offices. A farm
er's daughter, poor but honest, but ig-
norant of snares, went to an employ
ment Office in a city to secure work.
She was offered $3.50 per week and
light work. She was taken to dive
and introduced 10 the supposed daugh-
tiers of her employer who showed her
great kindness aud escorted her about
the city.
She asked why she had no work to DO.
Wait till you are better acquainted BY
degrees she was initiated and fell She
wrote glowing letters home, how nicely
she was fixed The honest father sus-
peeted something. He wrote 2 friend
and told him One day he met the girl
and asked where she was. She refused
to tell. He demanded when she told
him. He sent for her father, who came
and met her and wept over her. She
was obstinate at first then relented and
went home. She said several had told
her they were caught in the same way,
but when once virtue is gone the fall
is certain. One prolific source Of this
evil, is the balls which are frequently
held IN cities. A physician in a great
city hospital says, again and again a
Young mother is pronounced well enough
to leave and with her Legitimate child,
she is sent forth on the cold world. She
trusted to the honor of man and found
herself defrauded and ruined and with
the living memorial Of her fall. She is
banished from good society. She is
shut out of home by irate parents, who
if they had properly instructed her
might have saved her from such a fall.
But she is excluded and with no where
to go she must starve or seek refuge
in house of i'll fame
Another source of supply is the liter
ature, which abounds with the abomi-
nations Of the sins under the name of
naturalistic novels.
The bed rock of society is woman 5
purity. If the belief IN her chastity is
gone the foundation of social life is
overthrow and chaos rules. What can
be done to check these vices? Make
the home circle what it ought to be.
Educate the children in the ways of
purity and virtue and the danger of go
ing off into evil paths will be rendered
small indeed. Insist on purity in men
as well as women. Make proper laws
and execute them.
In Massachusetts seduction is not a
crime unless it is proven that the girl
has been fraudulently and deceitfully en-
tced from her father of guardian S
house for claudestine marriage or
worse purposes. If the child consents
to it's ruin then its no crime for the
villain. The age of consent is II for
girls and IA for boys in some states. By
English law girl of Is can legally con-
sent to her own ruin and the law pro-
tects the monsters of vice who bring
ruin to the helpless. Physicians can
have more influence against these prac-
tees, than any other class. A highly
respected and successful doctor was ap-
preached by reputable farmer who
offered a large sum if he would prevent
the increase in his family. The doctor
showed him the door and told him to go
and informed him that If his scheme
was put into execution he would push
HIM as far as the law would let him go.
In the name of the youth of our land,
ask that false modestY be abolished
and that parents, teachers and preach
ers warn them of their danger and in
struct them. In the name of all un-
fortunate lit my voice for justice and
denounce the practice that would stone
the woman but free the man for the
same sin. In the name of purity and