St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-25

men, and yet it is one of the
most fruitful causes of disagree
ment which exists. The lack of some
such arrangement as this has brought
many a couple to the divorce court; and
it is to be questioned whether it would
not be well for moralistS to make
point of this establishment of fixed
propoIt ton of husbands income as
one of the essentials of marriage.
There is in this country a
feeling - not as rational as some
popular ideas = that to have mar
riage settlements is cold-booded
and argues lack of sentiment.
Americans are at once the most hard
hearted and most sentimental people Ill
the world, and, despite the prosaic tend
encies OF the age, we have i'll this country
cOntriged to keep certain naive
sentiment in regard to marriage. There
is something of the simplicity and sentl-
ment Of the peasant folk in the way we
look upon marriage. To have any fore
thought in the matter is popularity held
to argue a cold and calculating attitude
toward one who should be all or can be
nothing. The idea of marriage settle
mentS is regarded with distrust and with
sentimental horror. 1t would perhaps
be cynical to inquire whether the mas
culine desire to hold the purse strings
has not consciously Increased this feel
ing. It's sufficient that 1T exists and that
it is thoroughly unfair. If women are to
be slaves after the fashion general among
some Oriental nation, 1t IS OF course
fitting that they should not be ntruSted
with the funds of their lord, except I'M
der the strictest restraints. The posi-
ton would not in this age and time be
ened one. but 1t would atleast be con-
SiStent. If on the other hand it is fitting
that the wife be looked upon as part
ner with her husband, it is certainly
but reasonable to give her certain liz
dependence in the matter OF dISpoSlng
of the funds of the firm.
Either a wife should be in the
domestic establishment a recognized
partner, with the rights of partner. or
she should be salaried officer, with the
right which that implies. In no case
should she be mendicant." There IS,
perhaps, no way of preventing her be-
ing a mendicant if the husband,
who is generally the wage-earner,
does not give her at least
fixed portion of his income. with
people OF fortune there should be
regular settlement, in the European
IdSDlOn. O6HIllE6HL 10 SOOut Uub II
sentiment can live through the social
ceremonies and obserVances with which
engagement and marriage are
already surrounded. there is lit
tie dagger that it will be
crushed out by reasonable business
arrangement for the future. If there is
little money in the family there should
be a regular sum fixed, which should be
regularly paid to the wife, to be used at
her own discretion. aud for which she
is accountable to nobody. If it is not
more than five cents week, at least let
there be some fixed and unfailing sum
upon which she can always count.
There are some men who honestly be-
lieve themselves to be dangerous to
their wives, who yet are unconsciously
cruel in this matter. Let them begin
to-day, if they are in earnest. to stop
this cruelty, and give TO their wives
whatever weekly amount they are able
to afford, to be used by the feminine
portion of the household at pleasure.
The result will be an establishment,
even to the most sanguine; so much are
we prepared to risk i'll the way of pre-
dictIOn,