The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-06
CUTTING DOWN THE COST.
Laws TO Limit Wedding Expenses In In
dia-A Novci Reform.

dia-A Novci Reform.
A novel sort Of reform in the matter Of
marriage has been instituted by the gov
eminent in the states o. Raiputana, IN
India, the object being es stated by Co.
c. " X. Walter. agent to the governor
general. in recent report 70 the Eng
lish authorities. the Suppression Of IN
fanticide among lsajputs" The most
immediate inference Is that parents hesi-
tate to raise children or account 81 the
trouble 81 getting them married of. hut
it may be that Col. Walker .ntends 20 IN
innate that the existing t1arriace Gus
toms lead 10 an infrequercy Of matri-
mony and TO other e7ents conducive 70
the violent putting away Of infants. 1T
any rate. the fart seems b have been
that marriage amorg Rajyuts Of any
social standing has heretofore been very
serious financial question. 10th for the
would be bridegroom and for the pa
rents Of the prospective brde; and the
reforms arc IN the direction Of fixing on
arbitrary limit beyond = hich the OK
penditure at q wedding shall not go.
TIC lliNN % lIlf-~' INV ANAN'f h'A"'Nh
which hereafter two Kajp 1t hearts will
be made TO beat as one. fixes the maxi
mum amount to be expe lded at mar
riages at one quarter Of tLe annual in
come Of 4 Thakur, or nobcman, whose
income is 90, 600 rupees CT over; one
third Of incomes bctweel 10000 and
10. 600 rupees; Onc-half Of incomes
between 10000 and 1000 rupees, ind
two-thirds of all incomes below 1000
rupees Rajputs with no regular income
at all are not 10 be allowea 20 spend over
100 rupees at wedding. tits explained
that the percentage Of expenditure -
allowed 10 increase as tbs total income
decreases because smaller ssms could not
secure the proper performance OF the
marriage ceremonies.
The second rule does away with all ex-
penditure on occasions Of 'etrothal, and
provides that al such times the parties or
their representatives shall simply drink a
detection Of opium water together and
present bette. leaves. and the written re-
cord Of the engagement Of ularriaee shall
then be signed. This toinioolcry does
away with the previously necessary pre-
sentation 70 the father Of the coming
bridegroom by the fathef Of tho bride
expectant Of an elephant, horses, camels,
iewelry, and other little triiles TO q value
rarely less, among well-to-do Thakurs'
than 10, 900 rupees.
The third rule is for the benefit Of the
family Of the bride also. and limits tho
amount to b. expended as 'Jyag,
largesse to the Charms, Bhats Dholis,
and others. at 0per cent. Of the whole
income where that exceeds 1000 rupees,
4 f-2 per cent. where the income Is bo
tween 900 and 500 rupees. and nothing
at al for Thakurs with Jess than 500
rupees income. 1t Is also provided tina,
this expenditure for "Tyag must be IL
Guided in the amount fixed under he
first rule rs the limit Of expenditure
upon the wedding. This does away with
what has heretofore been frequently tie
most expensive thing about RaJWit
marriage. Numerous cases are CITED
where the "Tyag' alone on the occasiua
Of the marriage Of a daughter or q sister
has been very much more than the who le
income Of the Thakur for the year. An
other important change made by tie
new rules provides that emily Charuas,
Bhats and similar persOnages from inc
state in which the marriage Do cclebra cd
shall be allowed 20 BE- present at thc core
monv, and Of these the number shah be
regulated by the standing COMMITTEES IN
each state. whose duty it IS oversee the
enforcement Of the new regulations.
AT the end comes a rule, which p'oD-
ably affects or begins 90 affect @ mere
important reform than all the rest put
together. II prohibits the marriage cf q
man under IS or a girl under j., and IS
the fist attempt made In ihe Ralpuiana
90 stop the custom of early marriage, by
which a young maid is often doomed TO
De a widow all her life ele yet Sine has
ever been wife The rule is said 90
have been proposed 10y the chief Of
Bundi, who has been great upholdet al
the ancient customs, and Is regarded as
an important evidence Of the growth Of
modern ideas in India.
Another innovation, incorporated as
an after thought into the new rules,
limits the expenditure at funeral icasls.
and. it Is said, will be an immense relief
10 the Raiputs.-New York Sun.