New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08

lation shall be defined and regulated
/ by secular law. Parties 70 the mar
/ riage contract must be definitely in
vested with the responsibilities OF the
status they assume. and for fidelity 70
their obligations they are answerable
/ 70 each other, 70 society and 20 their
/ God.
! Sexual union is lawful in wedlock
and If participated in with right intent
is honorable and sanctifying. But
without the bonds Of marriage sexual
indulgence IS a debasing sin, sbom-
Unable in the sight Of Deity.
lnidelity 20 marriage vows Is fruit
full source of divorce, with it's long
train Of attendant evils, not the least
of which are the shame and dishonor
/ inflicted on unfortunate though limo
cent children. The dreadful effects Of
/ adultery cannot be confined 10 the err
| ing participants. Whether openly
known or partly concealed under the
cloak Of guilty secrecy, the results are
potent in evil influence. The immortal
/ spirits that come 70 earth to tabernacle
in bodies Of flesh have the right 20 be
well born through parents who are free
from the contamination Of sexual vice.
II is a deplorable fact that society
persists in holding woman 20 stricter
account than man in the matter OF sex
ual offence What shadow Of excuse,
not 20 speak of justification, can be
found for this outrageous and cowardly
discrimination? Can moral dehlement
be any the less filthy and pestilential
in man than IN woman! Is a male
leper less to he Stunned for fear OF
contagion than woman similarly
stricken?
Base and Unjust
Oh. the baseness. the injustice. the
dishonor Of it all. Happily the early
promulgators OF this shameful concep-
ton Of a double standard Of morals for
the sexes are hidden in the oblivion or
the past. Let the infamy in which they
should rightly share be borne by those
who countenance the current acceptance
OF so vicious d Distinction Visualize
the spectacle. Man. who - by nature
the protector and defender Of woman,
/ ready 20 stone TO social death the adul-
teress, in whose sin he was partner!
True. there is nothing distinctively
modern in this revolving distortion OF
propriety and justice u Will be re-
membered that certain sef-righteous
Scribes and Pharisees came clamoring
/ 10 the Christ in the Temple courts,
dragging with them a woman, Of whom
. they said, Master, this woman was
/ taken in adultery, in the very act;
and they asked what punishment should
be meted out % her. What OF the man
/ in the case? He may have been pres
/ ent. but whether so or not we have no
record that judgment upon him was
either asked or implied. However, m
: Justice is Of no less hideous mien be-
/ cause. as We sometimes say in stultify-
/ ing Inconsistency. IT is time-honored.
/ So far as woman sins u ~ inevitable
that she shall suffer, for retrlbution Is
sure. whether 10 be immediate or de-
B ferred But in so far as mans inJus-
I tice inficts upon her the consequence
! Of his offences he stands convicted OF
| multiple guilt And man IS largely re-
I sponsible for the sins against oecehcy
/ and virtue. the burden OF vnich IS 100
I often fastened upon the weaSer partlel-
4 pant in the crime. The trghtul prev
alence Of prostitution and the tolerance
/ and even condonation with WhlSh Ine
foul traffic is treated by so-called CIVIL
/ lied society are black oiols OF '"e pass
/ Of current history.
All Not Equally Culpable
Il would be manifestly unjust to
sweepinglv condemn every fallen woman
as of equal culpability with the rest OF
/ her degraded class. The published re-
/ suits OF investigation by oiicial IN,
7 ouiries and volunteers IN this miry held
I Of research indicate that many
woman who offers her body for hire
entered into this dreadful commerce
whom she found herself despolled and
/ betrayed through undue confidence ~
man. And while her despairing, ana
desperate condition must De considered
as an element Of cause, II not ti mt
cation. she Is nevertheless criminal
Under the secular law and greVous
offender against the mandate OF lhe
/ Almighty. .-.,--. 10
80 ~ mar Of the Great Judge VINO
/ sbsU read the mind and interpret the
besrt. every Circumstance Will be takeh
ir.o inst account, in her case as IN lhaI
~ hin, or them who have contributed
- hcr DEGRADATION Others there are,
a. re reDorts attest, who aver tnA1
- live tteir lives % shame by enoiee,
.refsrrtng the comparative ease ana
/ ,be unnatural excitement or thelr aoah-
doned mode of existence TO tue eAae-
tons of honest industry q. :,
Horrifying as the conclton -, "
nevertheless black reallty that holue
Of women prostitute their oodies an
oo,i. for money and find no lack OF
80, bnvers Who is the more de.
nrssvs5Nthe vendor or the purchaser OF
ip,o,,anis honor In many cases power
- d'.re,nuent and analysts superior 20
I,n-o1 attainment IS essential 70 ust
y.rdIet. but it appears certain Una.
ybsteyer Of palliation through stress
Of Circumstance may be found i ,1i. ", We
gowsr guilty lust Is too generally me
.;raai motive % the man. II the pas,
p,m 81 men we're kept in natural and
! ~Soiesome restraint female virtue