The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-27
WHY PEOPLE DO NOT MARRY.
Several Reasons That Tend to MAX
Young Folks Hesitate.

Several Reasons That Tend to MAX
Young Folks Hesitate.
1t is estimated that there are 1900. 90
young men of marriageable age in tn
United States who obstinately neglect /,
provide themselves with wives, and thi
implies the existence of at least an equa
number of young women of marriageabl
age VINO are waiting for proposals tina
never come. The fact is important az In
dicating one of tho social tendencies of III,
period. 1t cannot be doubted that the non
ularity OF matrfmony has materially de
ciined IN recent years, and that a kind O.
general hesitancy seems to prevail respect
ing the negotiation Of such alliances.
There WIS time when the young people
OF the country hastened to pair themselye,
with birdlike eagerness and delight n,
soon as they were out of school, and society
not only encouraged them but practically
commanded them to take that course
They were considered superfiuous and bur
oensome until they got married. The true
work OF life could not begin with them
they were taught, so long as they remained
single; it WINS their duty to become yoked
without unnecessary delay, and it was a dis.
grace TO miss reasonable opportunities in
That relation. But it is decidedly different
at the present day. The practice of wed.
lock Is no longer imperative, nor does dis.
credit attend the unmarried state, even
when prolonged into the thirties.
There is as much advice given against
marriage as in favor of II by the wise and
experienced OF both sexes, and the result Is
a STEADY decrease in the proportion of actual
weddings to possible ones. The causes
which hive produced this marked change
are not sufficiently definite for satisfactory
analysis. 1t is probably true that our ex
traFagant style of living, as compared with
.hat OF former times, is one of the effective
influences The cost of supporting n wife
and raising family is much larger than II
used to be, and this feature of the matter
often gives pause on both sides. We have
come to measure SO many other things by
rule. PNs' 'iie
The young people are disinclined to stort
IN humble way and gradually improye
their situation; they want all that their
parents have without waiting or striving
ior IL. Many proposals are unquestionably,'
ueiayed or rejected on this account. Tben
IL Is Wei known that the new avenues of en-
pioyhent open to women have made them
more Independent, and probably also more
eAactlng as to the qualifications of hus.I,
pahus IL IS not nearly so common as it'll
once was for girls to marry simply in orflerIt
10 secure a nome and IA living; they are able
nov nov. 70 earn good wages and to take their
Iline about assuming the duties of wivesaI
and mothers.
we may safely believe, moreover, that
The progress of women in education and mi
social power has led them to look less FL. Il
'orably upon the connubial condition by
their hearts to their heads 10
20 TO speak. And finally it cannot but bel !
nut the abundance of criticism to which,
ne married system has been subjected byIb
writer's OF pronounced vigor and skill has n
ei we'd to weaken it in the popular estima. IL
ION and to disparage the quality of sacred III
less that is its highest claim to respect and
lonor-St. Louis Globe Democrat III