The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-22
AFTER MONOGAMY, WHAT

Will the advancement of women
change the condition Of marriage? 1t is
no longer denied anywhere in America
that the progressive strides of women in
the last twenty years is of epochal inn
portance.
1t is only necessary 10 refer to their
successes in literature, business and the
professions as well as in the arts. 1t has
not reached It's end. There are more
girls than boys in the schools today.
The girls are more studious and remain
students for a greater length of time
than their brothers. The woman of the
coming generation as sex is going to
be brighter and more capable than her
brother.
Will it change the condition of man
and wife: 1t is presumptuous to think
that the present form of marriage is per-
manent and fixed for all time. Mono
gamy, compared with other forms of
marriage. is of recent date.
Woman, from a mere animal of tribal
times, has advanced for the first time in
the history of the world to point where
men have begun not so much to fear, as
TO expect that their supremacy on sexual
lines is threatened.
The first women, as near as history
tells, had no husbands. Each woman
was equally the property Of every man
in the tribe. The children of that tribe
received their names and their identity
wholly from their mothers.
This marital condition had no con-
tracts or rites, except the reservation TO
the chief of the tribe of the Jus prima
noctis.
1t was succeeded by another form of
marriage, which resulted from ma
rauding spirit in the masculine sex.
Men stole their wives from other tribes.
and woman so stolen became the prop
erty of the stealsr
The form of best man at our we'd
dings today is only the remnant of the
old practice. The friend of a man, who
helped him to steal wife, was the
original best man, and also had the ius
prime noctis.
Following this theft of wives, which
became condition and nuptial prac-
tice, there came the purchase of wives
After time the purchasing became the
important part Of this condition, and
the stealing only an accompanying form
ality. With it individual ownership of
wives came and polygamy was estab-
lished.
As the world advanced property rights
superseded tribal possessions. The men
began TO have homes. Slowly polygamy
was driven out and monogamy took its
place. Monosamy is not much over two
thousand years old. Since it began wo-
man has gradually been climbing out of
condition that was abject slavery. and.
not more than two hundred years ago.
servitude.
Today the American woman is the
equal OF her husband in the marital
bonds. She is struggling to be his peer.
intellectually, and she is leading him a
fast race.
Man IS the highest animal on earth.
He has today reached The highest state
of civilization known. What is before
him Is beyond conjecture and predic-
ton.
III the future, which we cannot de-
cipher. holds the superiority of woman.
viii 1t not also contain chance in the
marital condition: Is the one wife. one
husband condition Of today permanent.
or IS II. like the condition OF tribal mar
rage, wife-siealing. wife purchasing and
polygamy only Il transition that is reach
ing TO more perfect relation between
the two sexes.