The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-07-10
sORDID MATCHES.
Our Young Folks the Freest and Kappfest
of the Worlds Youth.

Our Young Folks the Freest and Eappiest
of the Worlds Youth.
Robert Laird Collier in Chicago Tribune
However much is believed and pub
lished damaging to our reputation for
social decency and high morality. I
have most fixed and unchanging con-
yiction that we are the cleanest, sweet
est, and holiest people socially on the
face of the earth. 1t would be no more
than truth to say that this social purity
is one of the results of our social Gus
toms. Our young people are the freest
and happiest of the worlds youth.
Our boys and girls are thrown together
more in school, in society, and in pub
lie places than the youth of any other
country, and the matter Of sex is less
considered in the amusements and rec
reations. Growing out of the free life
of our young people is the immensely
important fact that marriage in Ameri-
ce, 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
to the advantages and outcome of we'd
lock, but simply because it is the Gus
tom and because 1t is convenient and
desirable to have their own homes. The
French are a thrifty people, and thrift
is an element entering into all they do.
They seldom leap into matrimony. In
deed, among all classes-even to some
extent among the peasantry-marriage
is matter of arrangement. The par
ents 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
improvident of all working people of
which know anything When in Eng
land no aspect of it's social life is SO ever
present to me as the unthriftiness of
the working people. They marry and
are given in marriage as though
it were only of days lark.
They have children born to them
without the least regard to number OF
provision for them. They stick relig-
iously to the creed that God makes the
children, and that he will not send a
mouth without food to fill it. The poor
est couples seem to take pride in multi
plying their offspring and in replenish-
ing the earth. The average family of a
workingman, I should say, would be
about eight children. speak from OBJ
servation and not as giving statistics.
These children are usually as we'll tax
en- care of as the means of the parents
will justify. They begin to work in
their tender years and become bread
winners and are out in the world on
their own account, while yet the chill
dren of all American working people are
in scnool. The great body of this class
of English children are very indepen-
dent, and early form their own associa-
tions and rush into matrimonial engage
ments and alliances with but little con-
Germ as to the future or the fitness of
things.
The middle classes of England do not
quite go to the opposite extreme, but
considerations enter into the matter of
marriage that we in this country would,
at least affect to, deem most unworthy
and mischievous. Whatever else we
may consider in forming matrimonial
relations we always put forth but one
supreme motive. We hold it to be the
only true and enduring law marriage
that no other element should largely
enter into the motive On either side.
If we think otherwise than this we never
give articulation to our thought.
But this does not hold true in Eng
land. Love may be taken for granted.
Perhaps it usually is. But it is not a
matter that is discussed either between
the contracting parties themselves or
their friends. Much is said, and open
ly said, about the families and the re-
lations, the capacities of the man for
getting on in the world, and the ami
able and housewifely qualities of the
woman. 1t may be matter of love,
and I should say that it is universally
held that it ought to be a matter of love,
but. all the same, marriage with the
middle and upper classes of England is
also matter of business.