The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-08
WOMEN SHOULD NOT PROPOSE.
Mr.. Ward McAliister Says SO in the Plain
est Manner.


Mr.. Ward McAlister is ordinarily a
warm adnlirer OF Mr.. Henry Labouchere,
who like himself. is eminent in society
and Journalism, although Mr.. McAllistcr
is greater in the first respect and Mr..
Labouchere in the second. But Mr.. Nc
Allister has no liberation for the British
editors suggestion that women should
propose.
at seems 10 me-" said Mr.. McAllister,
that Labouchere's mental faculties must
have been seriously affected by advancing
age when he made such a suggestion. 1t
is preposterous. sir. There is no sense
in II, neither from the mans nor woman's
point OF viey.
Human nature will have TO change be-
fore this scheme can be carried out. and
however far womens rights may have
advanced within recent years, human
nature remains the same thing in many
respects II Is q natural law that the
man should seek the woman, not social
convention. When the woman seeks the
man Il will be about time for marriages
10 cease altogether. As long as men
have any desire to get married they VIII
offer themselves When they have ceased
to care about marriage IL won't help the
women at all to propose.
"The woman who seeks man will
drive him away. In palmer words the
woman who makes proposal Of marriage
will be rejected The more persistent she
presses her suit the more obstinately he
will avoid her. The shyness of perse-
cuted man under these circumstances
would be a thing that would surprise
Mr.. Labouchere Man is naturally more
bashful than woman. If he thought him
self in danger OF a proposal from
strong minded woman he would go away
and hide. Woman can only attract by
passive attitude. She has no doubt
way Of making love, but TO be successful
she must avoid any Of the open,
straightforward advances which are ma
tural to man. Her attitude must be pas
sive.
IF woman asked me to kiss her l
should decline to do so. l have, in fact,
had more than one such experience. The
request takes away any inclination to
comply with It. II may be aid down as
general rule that a man does not want
to kiss the woman who asks him to.
How much less will he care TO marry the
woman who asks him to?
"rhe only excuse for such a reversal
Of the natural way OF doing things would
be an economical one. The wCman's life
is probably rendered more unhappy than
the mans by inadequate means TO carry
vi the nOISfllRlus tilihIH NiAH IN'ii
who are I'm favor of women proposing
think that they would only choose men
1T 10 be husbands. But as things are
now they are able 10 reject the undo
serving, and, as ! have said, they could
not hope TO capture the husbands they
desired by pursuing them, because they
would never catch up with them. Even II
women did choose their partners for life
without waiting to be asked, there Is no
reason 10 believe they would show any
more sense than the men or any more
than they themselves DO now.
"A great deal Of unharpinesS IS caused
nowadays by the modern laws which en-
able a woman to keep her income entirely
separate from that OF her HI shand. am
very old-fashioned in this respect. | be-
| lieve that wherever there Is division
| OF financial interests in home there is
! likely to be unhappiness. A wifes In
come should not be separated from her
! husbands Young men without money
| should not marry woTaen with a great
deal Of money, who VIII lie in a position
| at any time TO tell them TO go away.
Il have made some very serious re-
marks on this subject. and they are
called for There is NJ knowing to what
| length these prOgres ,ive women Will ~.
| They have done nothing but harm al
| ready, carrying domestic unhappiness
| VIII ereNer they go"-World.