Texas advanced the limit from ten to twelve in 1891, and to fifteen in 1895;[698] South Carolina,[699] from ten to fourteen, and Virginia,[700] from twelve to fourteen, in 1896; West Virginia,[701] from twelve to fourteen in 1901; North Carolina,[702] from ten to fourteen in 1895; Alabama,[703] from ten to fourteen in 1897; while fourteen is likewise the age in New Mexico[704] and possibly also in Georgia;[705] but because of vicious clauses in their statutes a girl is in fact only given effectual protection below the age of ten in Alabama and North Carolina, and by common law at the same age in Georgia. Twelve is the limit in Kentucky;[706] and Mississippi[707] still retains the shamefully low age of ten years. [682] _Gen. Laws of R. I._ (1896), 999. [683] _Laws of N. H._ (1897), 30, 31; _Pub. Stat._ (1900), 832. [684] _Vermont Stat._ (1895), 877; _Acts and Resolves_ (1898), 90, 91. [685] _Gen. Stat. of Conn._ (1887), 325; _Pub. Acts_ (1887), 669; _ibid._ (1895), 580; _ibid._ (1901), 1208; _Gen. Stat._ (1902), 350. [686] _Rev. Stat. of Me._ (1884), 883; _Acts and Resolves_ (1887), 110; _ibid._ (1889), 170. [687] _Mass. Acts and Resolves_ (1886), 270; _ibid._ (1888), 40; _ibid._ (1893), 1381; _Rev. Laws_ (1902), II, 1745. [688] _Laws of Fla._ (1901), 111; penalty, not less than ten years' imprisonment, or a fine not exceeding $2,000, or both. [689] Up to fourteen carnally knowing a girl is rape, punishable by death or imprisonment for not less than five years, at the discretion of the jury: _Rev. Stat._ (1899), I, 547. Between fourteen and eighteen, not only must the girl be "of previously chaste character"--which begs the whole question--but the penalty is ridiculously light: imprisonment in the penitentiary for two years; _or_ a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500; _or_ confinement in the county jail not less than one month nor more than six months or both such fine and confinement: _Laws_ (1895), 149; also in _Rev. Stat._ (1899), I, 547. _Cf._ _Rev. Stat._ (1889), I, 850; GARDENER, in _Arena_, XIV, 31. [690] _Laws of Arizona_ (1895), 48; _ibid._ (1899), 29; the same in _Rev. Stat._ (1901), 1226: penalty, imprisonment for life or for not less than five years. [691] Act of April 1, 1893: _Digest_ (1894), 572: penalty, not less than five nor more than twenty-one years in prison. In Arkansas rape is punished by death, and, by exception, the execution is to be public; but this does not apply in case of conviction under the consent law. [692] Act 115 (1896), 165; also in _Rev. Laws_ (1897), 196: "if any person over the age of 18 years shall have carnal knowledge of any unmarried female between the ages of 12 and 16 with her consent he shall be deemed guilty of felony," and be imprisoned with hard labor not exceeding five years.