The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-06-15
PsRnloIous READING.
Danger Lurking In Papers Devoted Q,
Matrimonial Advertising.


Danger Lurking in Papers Devoted TO
Matrimonial Advertising.
The publisher of matrimonial adj
vertising sheets sends us a copy upon
which he has written the following
memorandum: Over five hundred
leading newspapers have occupied
from one TO twelve columns each in
discussing (many in ridiculing) while
very few understand it Please
read. -
This is so fair-seeming request
that in spite of the pressure on our
time-a pressure which the publisher
of weekly like the one referred to
can not probably comprehensive
have complied with it We have
s'read;" and we think we can under
stand why ''many" of the five hun
ired leading newspapers have occu-
pied some space in ridiculing the pub
lication referred to- IL they had read
it little more carefully they would
have found it too serious for ridicule
and would probably have condemned
Il.
The paper in question purports to he
devoted TO seekers of domestic happi-
ness" What it is really devoted to
seems to be the making of money out
Il the silly, the foolish and the cranks
who believe in matrimonial advertis-
ing. and the wicked who find in sheet
which does such advertising an oppor-
unity to ensnare the sillv and foolish
1t is filied. with the exception of few
columns devoted to self-exploitation
and specious plealing in behalf of this
miserable method of bringing marriage
about with advertisements. or what
purport to be such. of men and women
who want partners in wedlock.
The descriptions which the adver-
Users give of themselves have all the
popularity of bill of sale or chattel
mortgage. and are quite as devoid of
sentiment One. for instance. de-
scribes herself as "a widow of 80. 5 feet
{ inches in height. dark eyes. light
hair. weight leo pounds. well educated,
fair musician and fair housekeeper.
She admits an incumbranee in the
shape of lone boy"-age. size and
weight not given-and wants to eorre-
spond with "a Western gentleman over
40. widower or bachelor" She closes
with the suggestion that she will be "a
iutiful wife TO good man" Another
says she is "a neat little housekeeper"
who ''is willing to display her abilities
N making home happy" but how can
she (she asks) unless some good, true.
temperate man over 45whom she could
love proposes?
Another. on the masculine side of
the paper. describes himself as '.gen-
tleman of % years. FIVE feet seven in
ches. fair complexion. not much money.
but true and honest heart" H.
neither smokes, chews or drink
whisky; and does not say what vice h,
does patronize in place of these. Still
another is "a widower of 45. having
property and income sufficient to sup
port a wife, owoing well-establishet'
business in town where he is wei
known and can give the best of refer
enees" He wants 1.-The acquaintance
of lady of suitable age who has nc
children.
1t can hardly be necessary to say to
intelligent, right minded readers that
this whole notion of advertising for 8
| wife or a husband is degrading and de-
! moralizing. Our system of marrying
and giving in marriage is bad enough
at its best. resulting as it so often does
in ill-sorted unions. which the courts
are compelled to break. Ii is infinitely
better. however. than system which
has its foundation in the matrimonial
bureau. There is pretense at leas'
in all cases-and the fact in a great
preponderance of cases-of mutual ac
quaintance and of liking. il not of ro
mantle attachment ltmay be a lottery
out there is chance al least of drawing
n prize. and, as a matter of fact tn,
majority do draw prizes In system
of marriage upon the bargain and sale
theory embodied in the advertisement
plan it is inevitable that the vast ma
jority must draw blanks
No woman of real refinement Will
right views of the married state, it,
meaning and its responsibilities, eoulC
content herself with man who woult
answer an advertisement describing
the particular kind of husband want
ed, as one would describe carriage
horse or pug. No such woman in
deed would advertise for husband
What is true of the woman is true o
the man. Detroit Free Press.