The Red Cloud chief., 1888-12-21
SHOULD n PROPOSE.


SHOULD WoaaeM PROPOSE.
0sevo 4, aosGOoo6 AGs0sn - Qs~,a>~
- ~ A0s0naseo.
Why aose ID the ages past men
have married their preferences;
voOss. their opportunities Tie
man may choosc. the woman refuse,
but che refuses u her peril. - her de-
cisioa may ooedemn her - . life II
oelihecy. especially in our shickiy pop
ulated Nes England o. Middle States.
where the women ousnumber the men.
The man she accepts may BE- in no
wise the man OF her choice; bu, {, may
Be . marriage VI complAisancc. OF con-
venience or Of ~pecessisy under u
present system. while the woman looks
oAlmy ON 70 zee another ali the place
that she has coveted. without any init.
nation in the male breast Of her desire.
when . little o frankness on the
part OF the woman nigh. have added
70 tho happiness OF both. A woman
would be SLOW to make application for
divorce from the nan who had married
Del on her own calm dcliberAsion and
request; while the positive privilege
OF making another selection should h.
resuse-and the man should hav. III.
sane right OF refusal rs the
would give her confidence 10 approach
b man whom she deemed bc., suited
70 her condition and happiness
Matches would be- more carefully made
when considered from both stand
points. and the glamour and indefinite
ness that usually hedged around \ pro-
Posal would be wiped away in the cool
consideration o! = mutual business con-
tract.
And why should the woman nc, have
q voice and q choice in the man who is
70 be her life partncr-thc father Of her
children. and who Il most likely % give
the o n and color 10 all Of her after
ife' The majority OF women never
rise above the character given 10 them
by the man whom they chance 10 we'd.
for chance in tho past has usually had
more To do with marriage than reason.
The Catholics make marriage u canon
OF the church and indissoluble. but IL /. |
considered in most Of the States A. .
civil contract. II should undoubtedly
be a civil contract With the utmost
with both OF the contracting
parties at liberty 70 propose and 10 re-
jet proposals. without onensc and with
out any violation Of any Of the ordinary
OF propriety. This contract should
also DO construed to contain equal
property rights for tho man and the
woman. and IN equal control over tho
children Of the marriage. Why should
woman have more dihidencc in
selecting the man who Is To wed her
in the selection OF the house She
Is To live in and its intricate furnish
|ngs. when the former has infinitely 80
more 70 do with her happiness
and prosperity?
10 propose has always been consid-
red the prerOgative Of queens. but in
his respect every American woman
should consider herself . queen. II
vas not until Queen Victoria had sig
Prince Albert that q proposal
rom him would be fAvOrably received
hat he ventured TO make advances To
hat hOnOred lady. Queen Elizabeth.
ears before. had claimed the right Of
proposal as England's sovereign Queen.
incident recited in Scripture b.
ween Ruth and BOaz. after the day o!
in the field. WAS virtually .
proposal by Ruth. !
After the formulating Of the Gre
'orian Calendar in l5s2. giving TO
fourth year 366 days. IL wxs ac-
ountcd proper for women 70 propose
very fourth or leap year. but 80 much
acetiOusness and ridicule has attached
D 1t, that the custom has been more :
OnOred In the breach than in the Oh :
At this time. when We con- =
ede to women equal educational facil- .
les; have arrived Mt a proxima,e ,,
in property rights; have given :,
} her to q limited extent the ballot y
nd the privilege OF holding Office: !.
hen the trades and the professions :
~ SO far thrown open 70 her that she :
ny compete with man in money !"
aking and money-getting. I can SEQ :
good reason why she may no, IN. !.
suitable circumstances propose: !"
the proposal on her part would nj. !!
avs carry with it the tacit agreement :,
perform her part in the domestic |"
OF the household. The right =
proposal vouchsafed TO woman would -
have . moral tendency.-"
ira Il. Lockwood. IN y. Y. World. !"
CANES m HISTORY. II