The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-17
The Institution of Marriage.

The Institution of Marriage.
This s the season Of the year when the
list OF marriage announcements increases
greatly. The betrothals Of the summer are
fulfilled in the weddings OF the autumn,
and in all the circles OF society We have
abundant and practical proof that the cry
about the failure Of marriage. which has
been raised by few pesslmistic philoso.
piers, both men and women, is not needed
by healthy minds. and does not check the
growth OF the sentiment which results in
matrimUny.
1t may be true that there has been a de-
cline in the marriage rate Of highly civilized
countries during recent years. That is q
matter Of statistics. which are indisputable.
But because there has been such decrease
we have no good reason for concluding that
the desire for marriage has lessened proper
tionately or that the institution OF matri-
mony las fallen into any disfavor. 1t means
simply that more people are unable to
crafty the desire for mating than under
the older social conditions. The great and
pervusive emigration movement In Europe
must have tended to reduce the marriage
rate in the countries most affected by it.,
and as matter Of fact. they are the coun-
tries where the decline is most notlcea-
bic. Naturally. emigration makes q
heavy draft on the young and enter
prising unmarried men. and carries them
away to different associations. Even when
they reach the United States. whittier most
Of the emigrants come. the necessities Of
their situation as new settlers forbid their
marrying until their ioothold is well Sc
cured Thus they swell the total Of the
population. on which the marriage rate is
based. and yet do not increase the number
Of marriages. The enormous draft which
the armies Of Europe make on the young
and vigorous men OF the great States also
assists to marked degree in lowering the
rate in them all.
Modern civilization. moreover, requires
the employment Of vast numbers Of young
men in professions and occupations which
shut them out from matrimony hardly less
than the military services itself. Railways
and telegraphs. engineering and mining
enterprises. ocean transportation. the new
methods ,ot selling merchandise by the
means OF a multitude Of travelling agents.
and the slow preparation for strictly
professional careers act as obstacles to
marriage in youth. and therefore lessen the
probability Of its occurrence at any period
in life. More men. proportionately. are
nomads and adventurers than in times
past. and the unsettlement Of their
lives OF course tends to keep them
from marrying. for marriage goes with the
fxedness and permanency OF homes. Even
In this new country. and even among the
farming population, whose inclination to
early marriages has always been especially
strong. this migratory spirit Is exhibited to
a striking degree. The loneliness Of farm
life and the severity OF the manual labor Of
the farm are sending the young men to the
towns. whose aggregate population is in
creasing at ratio SO much greater than
that OF the country. or course. these must
add to the ranks Of the bachelors while
they are striving and hustllng to make
their way under new conditions.
The decline In the marriage rate. accord
ingly. is easily explalnable on other grounds
than the pessimistic theory OF the growth
Of an actual dsinclination to matrimony
because Of skepticism as to the advantages
OF the institution. II fewer people marry.
proportlonately. 1t is not because the rest
do not want to marry. but because
the circumstances OF their lot prevent
them from gratifying their desire to be
mated. That is a far more defensible
theory. SO far as concerns the great mass Of
the unwedded. 1t applies to all unmarried
women and to most men In the same con-
dition. The bachelors from choice are an
Insignificant number. The voluntary old
maids do not exist. unless In converts.
In the circle Of society where the great
est wealth exists. and where consequently
the material obstacles to matrimony are
least. marriages, and early marriages. are
most frequent. as the autumn weddings
prove. year after year.