268

RAISES THE AGE OF CONSENT

Benedict's Measure Comes Up and Is Finally Recommended for Passage.

Amended to Protect Men from Blackmail at the Instigation of Unchaste Women.

Eloquent Appeal Made by the Member Who INtroduced the Bill -- Political Gossip From the State Capital.

Special Dispatch to the World-Herald.

Lincoln, Neb., March 18. -- The gallery of the house was crowded with men and women this morning. The occasion was the special order for the consideration of house roll 348, Benedict's bill to raise the age of consent to 18 years.

Benedict of Douglas moved to go into committee of the whole. This was carried and McNitt of Webster took the chair.

Chapman of Saline offered an amendment to increase from 18 years to 21 years the age of the man who is to be held responsible.

Benedict opposed Chapman's amendment. The gentleman from Douglas said he had a petition signed by 3,000 women of Lincoln praying for the passage of this bill, and he held one end of this petition while [Jine?] Allan carried the other end over the heads of the members to the other side of the room.

Mr. Benedict said: "Mr. Chairman: I do not believe it will be necessary that any argument should be made to convince the members of this house that this bill should become a law. I cannot believe that any member of this house will oppose so just a measure. The age of 'legal consent' now upon our stature books is 15 years. No one will pretend to say that this is right or just. What does an innocent, confiding child of 15 years know of wrong? When the devil in human form whispers in her ear his damnable lies, she trusts him, believes him. Finally the poisonous fangs sink deep into the heart of that trusting child, her ruin is accomplished, a home made desolate, another soul crying to God for justice. A child of 15 years is only beginning to observe and study, and knows nothing of wrong. It follows then that such a child's judgement cannot be trusted. Men therefore do not entrust business affair not allow children of this age to marry and yet they are credited with sufficient judgement to decide that which pertains to their viatl and eternal welfare. This is a question of right or wrong: not a question of law.

THE CLASS AFFECTED.
"Who are the people that will be injured if this bill becames a law? Is it the God-fearing, law-abiding people all over this fair land of ours, or is it the lecherous scoundrels whose name is a stench in the nostrils of all decent people? Does it work an injustice upon anyone who seeks to lead a virtuous, upright life? No, the only one who trembles at this law is that devil in human form who roams the earth seeking out some fair young girl to gratify his hellish lust. When she appeals to him for protection he laughs in her face and casts her from him. He walks out into the bright sunshine glorying in his strength and manly beauty to be received with open arms by fashionable society, petted and feted, and he goes on seeking new victims. Society may frown and shrug its shoulders fora time, but soon forgets or says he is unly sowing his wild oats."

"But you ask what becomes of this young, confiding girl, more 'sinned against than sinning.' Is she received with open arms by this same society? No, not one friend left on earth, except, perhaps, a sorrowing mother or father, crushed, hearbroken and despairing, she knows not where to lay her head. Thrust aside or trampled upon, she seeks to hide her shame by going still further down the way to perdition. She joins the mad whirl and is soon lost to sight in that cesspool of iniquity, the brothel, or maddened with her shame she seeks relief by plunking into the black eddying waters. With one last cry she is engulfed, her soul wings its way to that God who has said he would 'temper the winds to the shorn lamb.' This is no fanciful or overdrawn picture. This is occurring every day and we are doing nothing to prevent it, unless we pass this bill, just as it is drawn.