icense of prostitution, which had been enforced in St.
Louis a few years before and repealed through the united efforts of
the best men and women of the city. Mrs. Joslyn Gage opened the
meeting by reading extracts from the Woman's Declaration of Rights
presented at the centennial celebration, and drew especial
attention to the clause referring to two separate codes of morals
for men and women, arising from woman's inferior political
position:

There are two points which may be considered open for discussion
during the afternoon--one, the fact that there are existing in
all forms of society, barbaric, semi-civilized, civilized or
enlightened, two separate codes of morals; the strict code to
which women are held accountable, and the lax code which governs
the conduct of men.

The other question which can very properly be discussed at the
present time is, "Why in this country, and in all civilized
nations, do one-half of the population die under five years of
age, and in some countries a very large proportion under one
year?"

A letter was read from Mrs. Josephine E. Butler. As the experiment
of licensing prostitution had been extensively tried in England,
and she had watched the effects of the system not only in her own
country but on the continent, her opinions on this question are
worthy of consideration:

_To the Annual Meeting of the National Suffrage Association in
St. Louis:_

DEAR FRIENDS--As I am unable to be present at your convention on
May 7, 8, 9, and as you ask for a communication from me, I gladly
write you on some of the later phases of our struggle against
legalized prostitution. A brave battle has been fought in St.
Louis against that iniquity, and we have regarded it with
sympathy and admiration; but you are not yet safe against the
devices of those who uphold this white slavery, nor are we safe,
although we know that in the end we shall be conquerors. You tell
me that "England is held up as an example of the beneficial
working of the legalizing of vice." England holds a peculiar
position in regard to the question. She was the last to adopt
this system of slavery and she adopted it in that thorough manner
which characterizes the Anglo-Saxon race. In no other country has
prostitution been regulated by law. It has been understood by the
Latin races, even when