The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-22
SHOULD WOMEN PROPOSE.
"e'A n Lockwood Answers the Question
In the Affirmative.

NO' III U4lo ayes pdSJ Iueu
nave married their preferences;
women, their opportunities. The
man may choose, the woman refuse
out she refuses at her peril, as her de-
clslon may condemn her to life of
cenoacy, especially in our thickly pop
ulated New England or Middle States,
where the women Outnumber the men,
The man she accepts may be in no
wise the man of her choice; but it may
De marriage of complaisance, OF con-
Venlence or of necessity under our
present system, while the woman looks
calmy on to sec another fill the place
That she has coveted, without any init
nation in the male breast OF her desire,
when little more frankness on the
part OF the woman might have added
TO the happiness of both. A woman
would be slow to make application for
divorce from the man who had married
her on her own calm elaboration and
request; while the positive privilege
OF making another selection should he
refuse-and the man should have the
same right of refusal as the woman
would give her confidence to approach
the man whom she deemed best suited
to her condition and happiness
Matches would be more carefully made
4E6eh considered from both stand
sOints, and the glamour and Indefinite
ne,s that usually hedged around pro-
posslwould be wiped away in the cool
consideration of a mutual business CON
tract.
Antwhy should the woman not have
a voic and a choice in the man who is
to be Ter life partner-the father of her
childrn, and who is mostlikely to give
the tone and color to ali OF her after
life? The majority OF women never
rise aOve the character given to them
by theman whom they chance to wed,
for chince in the past has usually had
more to do with marriage than reason.
The Catholics make marriage canon
of the church and indissoluble, but it is
considered in most Of the States as Q
civil contract. 1t should undoubtedly
be evil contract with the utmost
mutually, with both of the contracting
parties at liberty to propose and to re-
ject proposals without offeuSe and with
out any violation Of any Of the ordinary
rules OF propriety. This contract should
also be construed TO contain equal
property rights for the man and the
woman, and an equal control over the
children OF the marriage. Why should
the woman have more difidence in
selecting the man who is to wed her
than in the selection of the house she
is to live in and it's intricate furnish
ings, when the former has infinitely so
much more to do with her happiness
and prosperity?
To propose has always been cousid-
cred the prerogatiye of queens, but in
this respect every American woman
should consider herself a queen. 1t
was not until Queen Victoria had sig
nifed to Prince Albert that proposal
Y F0m him would be favorably received
y. -, ve-,. sod to make nd yanGSss to
years before, had claimed the right OF
proposal as England's sovereign Queen.
The incident recited in Scripture be-
tween Ruth and Boaz, after tho day OF
cleaning in the field, was virtually q
proposal by Ruth.
After the formulating of the Gre.
gorian Calendar in 1882, giving to
every fourth year 500 days, it was &C
counted proper tor women to propose
every fourth or leap year, but so much
facetiousnes5 and ridicule has attached
to it, that the custom has been more
honored in the breach than in the OBJ
servance. At this time, when we con.
cede to women equal educational facil
tiles; have arrived at proXimatC
| equality in property rights; have given
to her to a limited extent the ballot
and the privilege of holding Office
| when the trades and the professions
are so far thrown open to her that sh5
may compete with man in money
making and incorporating, | can see
no good reason why she may not IN
der suitable circumstances propose
but the proposal on her part would al
ways carry with it the tacit agreement
to perform her part in the domestic
economy of the household. The right
OF proposal vouchsafed to woman woulc
undoubtedly have u moral tendency
BeJUa 4. L1ckWood, IN N T. WJrIL
/ o O.