Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1885-07-22
NIATRIMONY.
MARRIAGE IN AMERICA HAS HIGHER
BASIS THAN IN EUROPE.
Our Young Folks the Freess and Happisst
Of the Worlds Youth-wedlock In
Germany = English Working
PEOPLE. -Sordid Matches.
Robert Laird Collier !

liA''NiN hsaAlh ANihNirl
However much Is believed and pub
lished damaging to our reputation for So
cial deeency and high morality | have a
most fixed and unchanging conviction that
We are the cleanest, sweetest, aud hottest
people socially on the face OF the earth
IL would be no more than the truth TO say
that this social purity is one OF the results
Of our social customs Our young people
are the freest and happiest OF the worlds
youth. Our boys and girls are thrown to-
gether more in school, in society, and In
public places than the youth OF any other
country, and the matter uf sex Is less con.
sidered in their amusements and recrea.
tions. Growing out Of the free life of our
young people is the immensely important
fact that marriage in America, especially
among the middle classes, has holier
basis and motive than is certainly the case
in any country of Europe
The lowest classes OF Germany marry
very generally and with but little regard
10 the advantages and quito me Of wed
lock. but simply because il e custom
and because it is convene ~ desirable
to have their own hor Iue French
are thrifty people, a. drift is an els
ment entering into all they do They sci
dom leap into matrimony Indeed. among
all classeS-even 10 some extent among the
notwithstanding is matter of ar
rangement The parents for the most
part making the matches
Society in England is one of castles and
classes What applies TO one caste or
class does not apply TO the other castles or
classes For instance, the lower and
artisan CLASSES are the most improvideni
Of al working people of which | know
anything " nen in England no aspect OF
It's social life is so ever.present 10 me as
the unthriftiness of the working people.
They marry and are givel in marriage ns
tho, gh it were only matter Of days
lark. They have children born TO them
without the least regard TO number OF
provision for them. They stick religiously
10 the creed that God makes the children,
and that he will not send mouth with.
out food 10 I'LL it. The poorest
couples seem TO take pride in multiplying
their offspring and in replenishng the
earth. The average family of working.
children. | speak from observation and
not us giving statistics These children
are usually as well taken care OF as the
means of the parents will justify. They
begin 10 work in their tender years and
become bread winners and are out in the
world on their own account, while yet the
children OF all American working people
are in school The great body Of this
class Of English children are very indie,
pendent. and early form their own asso
cations and rush into matrimonial en-,
gagemeuts and alliances with but little
concern rs 10 the future or the fitness OF
things
The middle classes OF England do not
quite go 10 she opposite extreme, but con
sIderations eater INTO the matter of mar.
rage that We in this country would, al
least affect TO, deem most unworthy and
misChiev0us Whatever else we may
consider in forming matrimonial relations
we always put forth but one supreme mo
tive. We hold 1t TO be the only true and
enduring law Of marriage that no other
element should largely enter into the mo.
tive on either side If We think otherwise
than this We Lever give articulation 10
our thought
But this docs not hold true in England
Love NAV be taken for granted Perhaps
1t usually is But il is not matter that
is dis used either between the contracting
arties themselves or their frindS Much
is said, and openly said, about the famiii
and the relations, the capacities of the
man for getting ON in the world, aud the
amiable aud houiewifely qualities OF the
woman II may be matter Of love, ant
| should say that II is universally held
that ii ought IT, be "A matter OF love but,
all the SAME marriage with the middle
nd UPPER cases Of England is also a
matter o. business
Courlships in england are short and en-
gigements are long. No sooner is il un.
dersiOOd that young man and Young
woman are in love than il is gwen out that
they are engaged The American custom
Of leaving young me and women free TO
associate together and 10 keep company
with each other for an indefinite length OF
time without declaring their intentions. is
almost unknown ia any countryUf europe.
IL is not long after young man begins
show the daughter attentions before the
father gives intimation that lac wishes to
know what it means, and either the youth
declares ais intentions or Is notified
b -Cut sticks Whatever the advan.
tages of the English view Of this matter
may have II has, al least one most oh
viUus disadvantage, aud that is it leads to
engagements upon too short an acquaint
Ance and il makes of the engagement the
counting time rather than as "A mere prepa
ration for marriage. When once engaged
the young people are thrown togt ther in
the irecsI fashion, and may lie left TO
themselves at all times and in all places
almost Us though they were man aud wife.
In the general society o. America mar.
riage is deemed the vitality important event
In this life but in English society the en-
gagement is looked upon as the most i'm.
portrait. and really is sort Of first stage
In matrimony. or the personal uniting OF
the lives only awaiting the legal ccre.
mony.
O.