The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-10-21
MATRIMONIAL MARKET.
Business Has Been Growing Dul,
OF Late,
fae Demand for Life-Partn~rs Not tony
Up to the Suppiy-soms of
the Causes OF the



It is estimated that taerN. arp three
million young men of marriageablc age
ia the United Statea who obStiuat-ly
neglect 70 provide themselves with
wives. and this implies the existence of
at Least sn equal number of young
women Of marriagcs.ble agc who are
Whiting for proposals that never come.
The fact Is important a. Indicating one
Of the social tendencies OF the period.
II cannot be doubted. says the ST.
Louis SGlobe-DcnocI-at. that the popu-
larity Of ma triuouS has materially de
CtIned III recent years. and that IL kind
Of general hcsitancy seems to prevail
respecting the negotiation of such ALI
ances- There was time when the
young people of the country FASTENED
10 pair themselves with hird-lille eager
ness and delight 10 soon as they weru
out Of school: and sOciety not only en-
cOuragcd them, but practically COM
nis nded them 20 tzLke that course They
were considered superEuDuS and bur
donsome until they got married. The
true work Of life could lot begin with
them, ,hey We're taught, 80 long rs they
rrrnained single; il was their duty 80
become JOlEed without unnecessary de
lay, and II wss n disgrace 10 miss re;t-
souable opportunities in that relation.
But ii is de'Iidesi!y different at the pres
oGt day. The practice of wedioc!S In no
longer imperative. ior does discredit
attend the minated state, even when
prolonged into the thirties- There is as
nuch advice given against marriage as
in favor oI it by the wise and oxperi-
cnced of both sexes. and the result is a
steady decrease IA the proportion Of
actual weddings 10 possible ones.
The G;.I.ses which have produced this
marked change are not Suthciently =
definite for satisfactory analysis. 1t is
probably trae that Cur eStravagant
style of living, compared with that
IF former tines j. one of the effective
Influences. The cost of supporting a
wife and raisi3g ii family Is mn::h larger
than IL used u be, ana this feature of
the matter often gives pause 0n bJtn
.iidos. We haE. come - measure 50
many things by money that rsatriInoay
has not - :aI1e0 the rule The young
people are Gisiaclin:i 10 start IN L hum
BILE way and gradually GnpToyS: their
situation; they vaILt ali that their par
cltS have without waiting and striving
for il. Many proposals. are iinqucstion-
ably delayed or rejected On this ac-
count Then il Is we'll known that the
new avenues OF employment open 70
women have made them ILOre Independ-
cnt. and probably also more rHacting
as to the qual lidcatiOns of husbands Il
Is nOt nearly 50 common as II once was
fog girls to marry simply in order 10 Sc
cure u home and il living; they are
able now TO earn good wages ana u
take their time about assuming the
duties OF wives and mothers We may
safely believe, moreover, that the prog
ress Of women ia education and In
social power has Led them TO look less
favoSably upon the connubial condition
by subordiEatiuG their hearts To their
heads. So 10 speak And finally, II can
not bat he that the abundance OF crlt-
cisIn 10 which the marriage system has
been subjected by writers OF pr.'-
nounced vigor and skill has served to
weaken II in the popular estimation,
and 20 dispsragc the quality OF sacred
liess that il its highest claim % respect
and honor.
Their, Is no reason rs Jef. however, to
lament the prevailing tendency - "a ma
tlenal misfortune The amount OF mar
ryiug is sill large enough for all o:di-
nary purposes; and it may be that less
rather than more Of it would best pro-
mote the iuterest. OF society such
unions should be formed with some other
object than that Of merely propagating
the species They involve the Ianst
serious obligations and responsibilities
of human life, and if people are learn
ing to be slow aud careful about
making contracts Of so much
importance it is hardly sign OF
aecay or threat Of calamity
much for each other that they cannot
happily live apart, they will be welded,
in spite Of All opposing Influences; and
pcrhapa those arc the only circum-
stances under which wedding ongh
ever to take place II would not do 20
say-v-it.h Hamle: that I'VE Will have no
moro marriages,~ and that all who are
noes single shall keep as they are;
.hu, sc are justified in thinkiny that the
ratio ot matrimonial happiness In likely
10 be ircrea assi according ID the meas
x,re of marriages that are brought alb out
by rehseting instead of emotional
ussns The system with which tho
cr5 tics find - much fault is not perfect.
but IL Is much better than they repre-
s,,nt i, 10 ba. nr il would not have sur
vive,l 50 long. With al theiT flaw-pick-
ing they have not been able To devils,
an .cceptable substitute for il; and un-
, iii thev are able I'd do Sd IL viii con-
tinue 10 stand rs the most benehcent
of those great agencies which regulate
and control the affairs OF civilization