The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-01-25
MAIRIMONY.
7rs POPULARITY SAID TO HAVE DE
CLINED IN RECENT YEARS.


Young men of manageable age in the
United States who obstinately neglect to
provide themselves with wives, says the
st. Louis Globe-Democrat, and this I'M
plies the existence of at least an equal
number of young women of marriage
able aye who are waiting for proposals
that never come. The fact is important
as indicating one of the social tendencies
of thetimes. 1t cannot be doubted that
the popularity of matrimoDy has mate
ri ally declined in recent years, and that
o kind of general hesitacy' seems to pre-
vail respecting the negotiation OF such
alliances. There was a time when the
yong people of the country fastened to
palr themselves with bird-like eager
ness and delight as soon as they we're
out of school; and society not only en-
couraged them, but practically COM
manded them to take that course.
They were considered superfluous and
burdensome until they got married. The
true work of life could not begin with
them, they were taught, so long as they
remained single; it was their duty to be-
come yoked without unnecessary delay,
and it was disgrace to miss reasonable
opportunitiss in that relation. But it is
decidedly different at the present day
The practice of wedlock is no longer i'm
peratiye. nor does discredit attend the
inmate state, even when prolonged in
to the 50 S. There is as much advice
given against marriage as in favor OF II
by the wise and experienced of both sex
es. and the result is a steady decrease
in the proportion of actual weddings to
possible ones.
The causes which have produced this
marked change are not sufficiently def
mite for satisfactory analysis. 1t is
probably true that our extravagant style
of living, as compared with that of for
mer times, is one of the effective influ-
ences. The. cost Of supporting wife and
raising family is much larger than it
used to BIO, and this feature of the mat
ter often gives pause ON both sides. We
have come to measure so many other
things by money that matrimony has
not escaped the rule Young people
are disclined to start in an humble way
and gradually improve the situation.
They want all that their parents have,
without waiting and striving for it,
Many proposals are unquestionably de-
Iayed or rejected ON this account. Then
it is wei, known that the avenues of en-
pleyment open to women have made
them more independent and probably
also more exaoting as to the qualities
lions Of husbands.
1t is not near so common ms il once
was for girls to naarry simply in order
to secure home and living; they are
able no8 to earn good wages and to take
their tine about assuming the duties of
wives and mothers. We may safely be-
lieYe, moreover, thatsthe progress Of wo-
men in education and in social power
has led them to look less favorably up
on the oonMubial condition by subordi-
mating their hearts to their heads, so to
speak And, finally, it cannot but De
that tie abundance of criticism to which
the marriage system has been subjected
by writer's of.pronOunced vigor and skill
has served to weaken it in the popular
estimation, and to disparage the quality
of sacred ness that is its highest claim To
respect and honor.
Theirs IS no reason, yet, hewsvsT, To
lament 80 prevailing tendency as ma
tional misfortune. TIE amount of mar
rying still large enough for all ordI-
nary opposes; and it may be that less
rather nan more of it would best pro,
mote tAe interest of society. Such I'M
ions s1ould be framed it'll some other
object taan that of merely propagaung
the spe es. They involve the most Sc
rious osigations and responsibilities of
human fe, and, Fl people are learning to
be sloa and careful about making con-
tracts such importance, it is hardly a
sign OF ascay or threat of calamity
When CT any two persons care SO much
for eaea other that they cannot happily |
live az ct, they will be welded in spite
of all posing influences; and perhaps
those the only circumstances under
whici wedding ought ever to take
place
It W I'D not do to say with Hamlet
that will have no more marriages,
and all who are now single "shall