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 judgment 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 judgment 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.

DOLLARS TO SOULS.
"A few days ago what is known as the oleomargarine bill was passed by this house and the reasons given by the great many for voting for it were that so many petitions had been sent in, that they dared not vote against it. Petitions praying for the passage of this bill have been presented nearly every day signed by thousands of our best citizens from all over the state. Gentlemen, do you think more of a dollar than you do of a human soul? Can you consistently give heed to one petition and ignore the other? I hope and believe you will not.

"You ask for argument? Go into the streets of any city in all this broad land, and as night comes down you will see the cunning temper walking stealthily along the street seeking to beguile the unwary into her lair to ruin them as she herself was ruined. She was once an innocent, artless child. Who made her what she is? Man's villainy.

"You ask for argument? Go with me to Milford, and see there the helpless girls with despairing, weeping eyes, deserted, friendless. Some praying for death to to relieve them of their awful shame.

"You ask for argument? Go to the brothel and see there the pained cheek and hear the hollow, mirthless laugh, and ask that erring one if she wants this enacted into a law.

"You ask for argument? Go with me to that vine-clad cottage, as the shades of evening fall. A light is in the window. Step inside the door and you will see a gray-haired mother on her knees in prayer. With streaming eyes she prays to that God who has said: 'Not a sparrow shall fall to the ground without our Father's notice.' She prays for the return of her erring child, who has wandered from her loving arms. Ask her if she wants this bill enacted into a law.

MEASURE IN HIGH FAVOR.
"Go with me into the street and see that father who with bowed head and trembling limbs seeks up and down for his lost child. They will all tell you that with all the women and good men of this state this bill is in high favor, and I speak in behalf of the mather and the wives and the sisters of Nebraska when I ask that this bill be recommended for passage."

Mr. Benedict's speech was greeted with great applause, the women in the gallery being, particularly demonstrative.

Chapman of Saline said he offered his amendment in good faith, as he thought the age of the man should be raised.

'Roddy of Otoe favored the bill. He spoke the great earnestness. He said that he wanted to give some protection to the girls. "Mr. Chairman," said Roddy, "I could forgive the man who would cut my daughter's throat, but the man who would bring my daughter to shame I would take his life, so help me God." (Applause.)

Chapman's amendment was defeated.

Casper of Butler said that he wanted to protect the young girls, but he wanted the law so framed as not to assist the blackmailer. He offered an amendment providing that this law should not apply to females who had dealings with different men. Benedict opposed Capser's amendment. Casper said this was a difficult bill to frame. The bill should be amended with great care.

Sutton of Douglas said he had an amendment that was drawn by a Lincoln clergyman. It was similar to Casper's amendment, and he favored the latter. Sutton's amendment merely added the world "virgin" before the word "female," and thus provided that only those who were "virgin females" could be protected by this law.

TO PREVENT BLACKMAIL.
Burns of Lancaster wanted to know what would happen if a girl under 18 was an inmate of a bawdy house. Would her guests be liable to go to the penitentiary.
Burns said he wanted this bill framed along the lines of common sense. He wanted to look out for the boys as well as the girls, and did not want designing women to use this law as a club for blackmail.

Munger of Lancaster wanted to know if the bill was intended to also protect the depraved female under the age of 18 years.

McNitt of Webster left the chair long enough to say that the opposition to this bill was trying to make a law to [?] the exception rather than the rule. He spoke with his usual force in favor of the measure.

Roddy of Otoe said he did not care if the bill did hit the frequenters of bady houses. "Let such characters take care of themselves or be branded," said Roody.

Conaway of York spoke in favor of the bill.

[Miles?] of Saline also championed it, and said that if the bill would strike a death blow to the social evil he would say "amen."

Casper said Rutton's amendment was better than his and he 'obtained leave to substitute the Sutton amendment.

Cramb of Jefferson said he feared the word "virgin" would open up the opportunities for bad men to attack by perjured testimony the reputation of unfortunate young girls.

COMPARE FAMILIES.
Benedict and Burns of Lancaster became entangled in a heated cross fire. Benedict asked Burns how many boy's he had.

"Four boys and four girls," proudly responded Burns. In response to a similar query from Burns, Benedict replied that he had two girls.

Thomas of Hamilton defended the bill.

Speaker Richards made a strong speech for the bill. He said that some day the man prostitute will suffer just as much as the woman prostitute. He said it was rare that a good man was made the subject of blackmail.

Cole of Hitchcook made an earnest speech in favor of the bill.

Davies of Cass, always eloquent, spoke with charming candor. Some of the women in the galleries did not appear to become enthusiastic over Davies' thrusts, but when he concluded with one of his well-rounded periods, he was accorded great applause. Davies said he favored this bill. He wanted to throw every possible safeguard about the girls. But in making amendments to this bill he wanted also to protect the girl who had reformed. A girl under 18 may have fallen and might reform, and after that reform she would be protected under this law. He said he spoke to the criticisms of many women of today. That as a rule, women were the worst foes of the fallen women. There were women who would pass a fallen woman by despising her and ignoring her, and not making a practical effort to rescue her and then hurry to church and drop down before the altar in a silk dress and pray God to rescue fallen women. He was in hearty sympathy with practical efforts as represented by this bill.

TRIBUTE TO MRS. PEATTIE.
He paid a fine tribute to Mrs. Peattie, to whom he referred as "That noble woman whose splendid articles in the World-Herald have done so much good for humanity." And he associated with Mrs. Peattie the many good women who were themselves willing to help a fallen women rise without asking God to do all the rescuing.

Robinson of Lancaster in opposing the bill made the "hot observation" that "nature, not statute, fixes the age of consent."

Ricketts made a strong speech in defense of the bill. He detailed some of his experience as a physician among the fallen women and he scored a number of strong points for the measure.

Capser said

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 judgment 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 judgment 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.

DOLLARS TO SOULS.
"A few days ago what is known as the oleomargarine bill was passed by this house and the reasons given by the great many for voting for it were that so many petitions had been sent in, that they dared not vote against it. Petitions praying for the passage of this bill have been presented nearly every day signed by thousands of our best citizens from all over the state. Gentlemen, do you think more of a dollar than you do of a human soul? Can you consistently give heed to one petition and ignore the other? I hope and believe you will not.

"You ask for argument? Go into the streets of any city in all this broad land, and as night comes down you will see the cunning temper walking stealthily along the street seeking to beguile the unwary into her lair to ruin them as she herself was ruined. She was once an innocent, artless child. Who made her what she is? Man's villainy.

"You ask for argument? Go with me to Milford, and see there the helpless girls with despairing, weeping eyes, deserted, friendless. Some praying for death to to relieve them of their awful shame.

"You ask for argument? Go to the brothel and see there the pained cheek and hear the hollow, mirthless laugh, and ask that erring one if she wants this enacted into a law.

"You ask for argument? Go with me to that vine-clad cottage, as the shades of evening fall. A light is in the window. Step inside the door and you will see a gray-haired mother on her knees in prayer. With streaming eyes she prays to that God who has said: 'Not a sparrow shall fall to the ground without our Father's notice.' She prays for the return of her erring child, who has wandered from her loving arms. Ask her if she wants this bill enacted into a law.

MEASURE IN HIGH FAVOR.
"Go with me into the street and see that father who with bowed head and trembling limbs seeks up and down for his lost child. They will all tell you that with all the women and good men of this state this bill is in high favor, and I speak in behalf of the mather and the wives and the sisters of Nebraska when I ask that this bill be recommended for passage."

Mr. Benedict's speech was greeted with great applause, the women in the gallery being, particularly demonstrative.

Chapman of Saline said he offered his amendment in good faith, as he thought the age of the man should be raised.

'Roddy of Otoe favored the bill. He spoke the great earnestness. He said that he wanted to give some protection to the girls. "Mr. Chairman," said Roddy, "I could forgive the man who would cut my daughter's throat, but the man who would bring my daughter to shame I would take his life, so help me God." (Applause.)

Chapman's amendment was defeated.

Casper of Butler said that he wanted to protect the young girls, but he wanted the law so framed as not to assist the blackmailer. He offered an amendment providing that this law should not apply to females who had dealings with different men. Benedict opposed Capser's amendment. Casper said this was