The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-25

that the men are all law-abiding cit
liens and the women good wives and
| mothers in every instance He is very
| fond of discussing the question which
forms the topic of Max Nordau's work
the degeneracy of man.
Mr.. Meese holds that man is not de-
generate, but, on the contrary, is be-
coming more and more advanced, and
that the only way for him to reach
that stage Of advancement which ren-
ders him worthy citizen and bene-
fit to the world is to marry. The Old
gentleman talks for hours on the fact
as he terms it, that marriage always
broadens a man, and declares that, if
men and women would only marry
with the right idea in view, and never
lose sight of the object which in their
union they sought to obtain, the jails
and penitentiaries would be sparsely
filled and the prosperity of the coun-
try increase in tremendous ratio.
All these things does Mr.. Meese
state to whoever is ready to listen To
him, and every year he delivers them
III a sermon at the most peculiar re-
union any one ever heard Of-that OF
couples which he has married. At the
last reunion, in June, there were mora
than 1000 couples present who had
been made man and wife by Mr. MeeSe.
Each of them was heartily congratulate
ed by him and each thanked him cor
daily for the part he had taken in
performing the legal ceremony which
brought about their happiness.
The strangest feature of these re-
unions which Mr.. Meese organizes is
to observe the happiness which is
prevalent among all those who at
tend. The youngest couple at the
latest reunion were aged II and q,
4 H4 oil
had been married 40 years and the
youngest ones scarcely 40 days, but
it was a conundrum as to which was
the happiest of the extremes. Most
of them had been married in Auburn
and it was as if a regiment of lovers
had been freed to wander about the
place. There was billing and cooling
on every side, and it is doubtful if
in all his days Cupid ever rioted in
so small a village to so great an eX-
tent.
Then the children-for Mr. Meese
says that the Bible declares that one
should increase and replenish the
earth. Consequently the children are,
according to his idea, direct fulfill
| ment of the Biblical law Pretty
good children they. are as a whole,
although, like every flock, they have
among them some black sheep. Still
| the embryo men and women will man
! age fairly we'll, and if the world never
| saw worse it would be much better.
| 1t was an odd sight to see Mr.. Meese
| surrounded by regiment if children.
| for taking them altogether they would
| average at least one to each couple.
| Think of a thousand children set free
| in strange village, and most of them
| unacquainted with one another. One
| would think pandemonium would i'm
mediately reign, but it was not so bad
as it might have been. 1t would have,
/ however, made a very respectable
| Fourth OF July.
There never was such an opportunity
| in the world for a person to study the
question as to whether marriage is Z
failure All ages, all experiences, ali
! periods ct married life were open to
the student of such q topic, but if
any one tried ii ne failed to make
public the result of his deductions.
Mr.. Meese INDUCES in no bragga-
docio regarding his achievements, but
is quite convinced that no one preach
err has ever married more couples than
has he He thinks that inaSmuch as
/ his reunion is the only one of the sort
! that has ever taken place. it should
take some legal form. and so at the
coming meeting of the married ones
in August AN association will be
! formed which shall be known as the
/ W. L. Meese Marriage association. 1t
! is to be Incorporated under the laws
Z of Indiana, with regularly chosen Off
! GERS, board of directors, etc, the time
for fixing the meetings being left in
the hands of the executive committee
Mr.. Meese will be the one member
of this association WHO has not been
married himself, and naturally he can
not make that BOAST, although he
thinks he is entitled to as ne was
| present at the ceremony. It is esti-
mated that there Will be at least 1000
members of the new association, and
as the entrance fee will be so cents
| the organization will begin with very
| respectable capital. AS every assccia-
| ton must have an object in forming,
| the one which will be used as the
motto OF this is Ito promote mar
| rage" The constitution and bylaws
of the organization have already been
draughted and are curious specimens
of what they represent. 1t is doubt
full if the idea of promoting marriage
ever before took a legal form, and it
seems queer enough to read in legal
language:
That it shall not Ice lawful for the
members of this association to in any
way discourage or prohibit the mar
riage of worthy persons. Should
member Of this association be found
guilty Of such action through petty
spite of personal feeling. such mem
Der will be promptly expelled. The
society holds that the only condition
OF true happiness is to be found IN
the welded state, and declares this to
be its one sole object of organization.
Mr. MeeSe has no hesitation in MAX
ing his views public, and therefore has
written the following statement which
will be read with interest:
"A reunion of this character is alb
solutely unique, and was the result
of considerable effort on the part of
the writer. For months past the sub
ject had been the principal social topic
throughout the state and the idea of
bringing together so many people who
had been married by one man met with
such general sympathy and approval
that hundreds of outsiders expressed
their intention of being on hand The
railroads reduced the fares for the day
set and those who did not take ad-
vantage of this came in wagons, car
riages and on bicycles, until the streets
of Auburn were crowded and the pro-
cessfon reached from the town to the
fair grounds park. a mile away.
1T was in this park or grove that
the gathering was held. The grand
stand erected in the grove was hand
somely decorated, and together with
the seatings was erected beneath the
friendly boughs of forest trees, so
that every comfort was afforded to all
present. When the hour came for
opening the exercises, it was estimat-
ed that the audience numbered over
1000 people. They were addressed by
Rev. DR.. Palmer of Chicago, the chap
lain of the day, and other prominent
| he lN,r tI,A rIAn al, nd