To the Editor of the Norru-Cuiwa Dairy News.
S1r,—Many of your readers must have read the petition on this subject with anything but approval. Any movement towards reclaiming the unfortunate women alluded to is sure of the sympathy of the community; but some of the means proposed by the petitioners can hardly meet with the approbation of sensible men. With the proposal to limit the age of consent to sixteen years few would find fault, Tf anything, even that age seems too early. Is a girl of sixteen quite able to realise the terrible nature of such a life of sin? Seventeen or eighteen would seem to give her a more rational chance of drawing back from the precipice.
But if this first proposal is worthy of our sympathy, the second seems opposed to all common sense. It appeals to a mere sentiment at the expense of much practical good, The idea seems to be to spare those already degraded a little further degradation. This is, at first sight, a kind won: thought which does credit to the hearts of the ladies who have signed the petition. Thank God they are not in a position to realise or understand the horrors of the other side of the picture. But they may perhhaps be reminded that the surgical exatulnation they take such exception to, is really a blessing to the poor women themselves.
behalf of the women. Is no sympathy or But the petition seems to be entirely on help to be extended to the men? Do the petitioners realise that indulgence in this particular form of sin has cost many men their lives, that it has destroyed the usefulness of thousands and transmitted a perhaps ineradicable taint to innocent mothers and children. And why? Because of the absence of state supervision; and, because, while our various inspectors can examine and report upon every other kind of disease and nuisance, this one alone has been placed outside the pale of their jurisdiction. Perhaps the petitioners imagine that by increasing the penalties attached to this sin, a stop will be put to its indulgence. It might be similarly argued that the dread of a medical inspection would deter some women from adopting life of infamy. Itisavain hope. Is there Jess sin of that kind in England, now that the Acts they allude to have been repealed, than there was before? It is well known that while there is no less sin, there is much more disease. The army and navy, especially, are robbed of the services of a far larger percentage of their numbers than formerly. All who know London know that the young men of the age are no more virtuous than their fathers before them. Immorality and its consequent diseases are so rampant in our midst that it is a matter of wonder any young woman of the present day can be brought to contemplate marriage with an Englishman, without the most terrible fear and foreboding. And there would be no reason for such a fear were it not that our foolish sentimentality has led us to throw down the only barrier between our oung men and a loathsome disease. We ave not stopped the sin, but only added to its danger. What right have we to add to the punishment of immorality? Is it not our duty as Christians to lighten the burden of punishment, and save sinners, as far as possible, from: the evil effect of their sins Besides' what sort of a moral excellence do we hope to attain by making immorality alittle more dangerous to the sensualist. The reformation of evil-doers is surely not from without, but from withi
amination is a delusion and a snare, let us, Xf, as your petitioners aay, medical ex-with all haste, petition the authorities to make it thorough and effectual. So shall we help to preserve the lives of some and the usefulness of many. So shall we perhaps succeed in stamping out at least one form of hereditary taint, We may safely trust to surer and nobler ways of reforming our sinners than adding to the punishment of their sins, Tam, Sir, Yours, Feb. 23rd.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.