The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-03-10
NOT ON THE MARRY.
Millions of Young Men Who Pre-
fer Single Life.
Although There Are Plenty at Wives t.
Re Had the selfish Creatures Cling
40 the joys Of Bach
eIorhoOd.


eIorhood.
II is estimated that there are three
million Young men of marriageable age
in the United States who obstinately
neglect to provide themselves with
wives. and this implies the existence of
at least an equal number of young
women of marriagcsble age who are
waiting for proposals that never come.
The fact is important. says the ~.
Louis Globe-Democrat, aS indicating
one Of the social tendencies of the
period. II cannot hc doubted that the
popularity of matrimony has material
Nv declined in recent years and that
kind of general hrSitIncy seems g" pre-
vail respecting the negotiations OF Sn'h
alliance. There was a time when the
Young people of the country ha~ten"d
Ia pair themselves with birtllSr eager
ness and delight as soon a~ they were
ont of school. and society not only en-
cnurarcd them but practically COM
manded them 10 take that course
They were considered supertluou~ and
hurdeusome until they got married.
The true work Of life could not begin
with them. they We're taught, 50 louT
as they remained single; H. was their
duty To become yoked without uu-
necessary delay, and il was disgrace
To miss reasonable opportunities in
that relation. But it is decidedly diff
fcrcut at the present day. The prac-
tice Of vedlocI, is no longer imperative.
nor does discredit attend the unmat"d
state. even when prolonged into the
thirtics. There is aS much advice given
AGAINST marriage as in favor oi lt 10y
the wise and experienced of both ~"Nr~,
and the result is a steady decrease IN
the proportion Of actual weddings 70
possible ones.
The causes which have produced this
marked change are not sufficiently
definite for satisfactory analysis. II rs
probably true that our eNtravagant
StvIc of living is one Of the effective
influences The cost Of supporting
wife and raising family is much larger
than il used To he, and this feature of
the matter often gives pause ON both
sides. We have come to measure So
many things by money that matrim"uy
has not escaped the rule. The yGun"
people are diSinciincd to start IN hum
bile way and gradually improve their
situation: they want all that their
parents have without waiting and ~trlv-
ing for it. Many proposals are ungucS-
tiOnablv delayed or rejected ON Tins lc-
count. Then. it is well known that the
new avenues Of employment open TO
women have made them more indie
pendent and probably also more exact
ing as 10 the qualifications of husbands.
II is not nearly SO common as ii once
- -. -4v,I. fr.. Z.
To- secure a home and living; they are
able now to earn good wages and To
take their time about assuming the
duties Of wives and mothers. We may
safely believe, moreover, that the prog
resS Of women in education and in social
power has led them To look less favor
ably upon the cOnnubial condition of
SubOrdinating their hearts To their
heads 50 To speak. And finally it can
not but be that the abundance of criti-
ciSm To which the marriage system has
been subjected by writer's Of pro-
nounced vigor and skill mas served TO
weaken it in the popular estimation
and TO disparare the quality Of sacred
ness that is its highest claim 10 respect
and honor.
There Is no reason as yet. however
10 lament the prevailing tendency aS
national misfortune The amount OF
marrying is still large enough for an
ordinary purposes, and il may be tina,
less rather than more Of IL would best
promote the interests of society. Such
unions should be formed with some
other object than that of merely propa-
eating the species. They involve the
most serious obligations and rrSponSi-
hiiities of human life. and ii people are
learning To be slow and careful about
making contracts of So much impoutauc,
IL is hardly a sign of decay or threat
of calamity Whenever any two per
sons care 80 much for each other that
they cannot happily live apart they viii
be welded in spite Of all opposing IN
tluences, and perhaps those are the only
circumstances under which a wedding
ought ever 10 take place. 10 would not
do To say with Hamlet that 1--WE will
have no more marriages" and that aII
who are now single shall keep rs they
are, but we are Justified i'm thinking
that the rate Of matrimonial happiness
is likely to be- increased according o.
the measure of marriages that arr
brought about by reflective instead of
emotional means. The system with
which the critics find 50 much fault Is
not perfect. but il is much better than
they represent il % be, or IL would not
have survived 81 long. With all their
taw-piclIing, they have not been able
tn devise an acceptable substitute for
II, and until they are able to do So IL
viii continue To stand as the most
heneticent Of those great agencies which
regulate and control the affairs of civ
ilizatiOn.