eaker sex be given more liberty in emotional
matters, or that the stronger sex be given less liberty?

I know that some distinguished women, great artists, stage favorites and
others have succeeded brilliantly in spite of sex irregularities; but
this proves nothing. These women succeeded because they had genius or
talent, not because they were immoral, just as certain men of genius
have succeeded in spite of an addiction to various evil practices. They
would probably have achieved more splendid careers had they been able to
conquer these weaknesses. Besides, we are considering what is best for
the majority of men and women, not for an exceptional few.

I have a friend, a public school teacher in Chicago,--Miss Jessie G----,
who holds advanced views on these matters and admits that she herself
has been a sex transgressor. She has never been sordid or mercenary,
she has always believed that she was actuated by sincere affection, but
the fact remains that she has had several affairs with men. She has
broken the moral law. And while she professes not to regret this and
insists that she would repeat these affairs if she had to live her life
over again, yet, I have felt in talking with her that this cannot
possibly be true.

Miss G---- has fine instincts, is fond of music, is proud of her
profession and shrinks from the thought that she might be considered
_declassee_; at the same time she _knows_ that on more than one occasion
she has been treated coldly by men and women familiar with the facts of
her life. For example, at summer hotels, in spite of her good looks and
apparent respectability, she has been denied introductions to charming
women who would disapprove of her behavior.

_That hurts!_

Even the bravest of our advanced women thinkers know in their hearts
that they writhe under the pity or scorn of their sister women.

It is certain that a decent woman who enters into irregular relations
with a man whom she loves must endure great distress of mind; her
relations with this man are at best unsatisfactory. She accepts the
disadvantages of wifehood and foregoes the advantages. She can see her
adored one only with difficulty at uncertain times and places. She lives
in constant fear of discovery. She is doomed to torturing loneliness
for, in the nature of things, she cannot have her lover with her
whenever she longs to have him, there must be days and weeks of the
inevitable separation. Nor dare she write to him fre