The Winslow mail., 1898-01-29
YOUNG MEN AND MATR,moNy.
A Newspaper Sage Indu1ges in Some
Timely Reflections.

IA 4sCWSpapcI SdSe 1n0ulgeS in Soma
Timely Reflections.
A month or two ago, says the Chicago
Times-Herald, editorially, Mrs. Kate
Gannett Wells, in the North American
review, asked the question: "Whv do
not young men marry" and answered
1t, probably to her own satisfaction
That 1t was largely due to their selfish.
ness.
VI course, the majority of young men
taxing the country over, do marry, as
Incense office and the divorce courts as
sure us, but Mrs. Wells has in mind O
class of young men of 80 years and up
ward, whose means or incomes would
abundantly justify their marriage, but
who refuse to enter the bonds. Doubt
less her indictment against them Is
well laid. But what Is to be done about
it2
men at 80 have lost some at least of
tnelr Illusions. Love in a cottage is
one OF them. A dinner of herbs. oven
with contentment, has no charms fo1
them. They prefer the stalled OK and
liberal dowry, other name not so i'm
portant. AS these do not ALWAYS com.
pine In way to suit, the young meE
stay unmarried, and live a life of more
or less wretchedness In boarding
houses, hotels and clubs. Not being
aware of what they miss by remaining
bachelors, their ignorance is bliss.
That some men do not marry when
| they are at the impressiona-ble age and
still see plenty of rainbows in the fu-
ture is not altogether their own fault
| The young women who compete with
them for the ordinary clerkly positions
do two things. They reduce the rate of
wages and they prevent young men
from obtaining employment where they
would ultimately grow into salaries on
which they could marry. There are, of
course, thousands Of young men who
take the chances and get married on
ten or fifteen dollars week, but there
are thousands Of others who will not,
and who by the time they are in receipt
Of what they consider a sufficient In
come have lost their inclination to
marry.
We are not saying that the social con-
dition that cOmpels so many young
women to seek employment Is not in
evltable. All we mean is that it is one
Of the causes that prevent many young
men from seeking the married state.
Mrs. Charlotte Smith also has ideas
on this subject and would cure the
evils Of bachelorhood by having Con-
gress pass a law compelling men to
marry. She would have a national COM
mission appointed to make the matches
and pick out men and women who
would be suitable for each other.
There is much to be said for this plan,
apart from it's practicability. 1t was
the law of Sparta, as laid down by Ly-
curgus, and we all know what virtu-
Gus, robust and courageous people the
Spartans were. Not only so, but the
plan had the high sanction of DR.. John
son, for that sturdy moralist believed
not only in marriage but in early mar
riage.
Talking on this subject one day Bos-
we'll inquired of him:
B.-Pray, sir, do you not suppose that
+ there are fifty women in the world,
with any one of whom man may be
shappy as with any one woman in
particular?
Jay, str, fifty thousand.
| B.-Then, sir, you are not Of opinion
with some who imagine that certain
men and certain women are made for
each other, and that they cannot be
happy If they miss their counterpartsi
| ito be sure not, sir. believe mar
riages would in general be as happy,
and often more so, If they were made
by the Lord Chancellor, upon a due con-
sideration of the characters and cir
cumstances, without the parties having
any chance in the matter.
There is a great deal Of sound sense
in these observations, and the time
may come in the development Of the
human race when some such law will
be adopted.
Meantime we will whisper to Mrs.
Smith that she is only losing her time
in applying to Congress. Marriage
comes under the laws Of the States
only. Let her try her hand on Massa
chusetts.