Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-21
THE YELLOW METAL WORKS
WONDERS.


True there are the families into
which no son-in-law is welcome unless
he has a good character. OF course,
his financial prospects are considered.
too, as indeed they ought to be, but
first comes the question Of what he is
rather than what he has. But in many
cases a well-filled pocketbook covers a
multitude of sins in the desire to settle
manageable daughters in homes Of
their own. Mighty concessions are
made on the part of solicitous mothers
who are looking for good catches for
their daughters. Give the backing of
wealth to man whose character is not
what it should be and the way into
some good house is open to him. No
covering up the fact that the jingle Of
gold helps out greatly in this matri-
monial race. Doors are thrown open
to him and fair mammas receive him
with smiles and extended hands.
Every person who is Of manageable
age must decide this question for him
self or herself. Circumstances do much
to alter cases, but any one who has any
part in helping to mould public
thought concerning these things which
affect the welfare of the home must
keep before himself the highest ideals
possible. When the question of moral
character as a factor in marriage is
set aside in favor of outward posses
sions l believe it to be serious mis-
take. I am not blind to the important
part that money and social position
play in the question of matrimony. No
one can blame any parents for wanting
to see their daughters provided with
a fine home and those comforts which
good income assures, but when these
things ara put first, and a fast young
man with money stands a better
chance of winning a young woman
than does the true-hearted and manly
fellow whose income is moderate, then
we are certainly losing sight Of that
standard which should be thought OF
first ia this sacred relation
TREAT THEM BOTH ALIKE.
1 believe that the first question a
young woman should ask concerning a
young man to whose destiny her own
may be linked should be, What kind of
a man is hep And / believe that any
standard of society which teaches that
she should be willing to overlook some
things which have not been Just right
in his life should be equally lenient to-
ward her if it happen that some mis-
steps have been made in her highway
Of experience.
Society may condone a wrong in a
young man, but the wrong is no less
on account of this. And it may Sc
verely censure the misstep that young
woman makes. but Il does not make
her sin any worse On this account.
suppose it is fair TO say that at the
final bar of judgment a wrong in a
woman will receive no severer eensure
than the same wrong in a man, and
think it only fair to insist that the
same standard OF judgment is just ana
equable for society to use.
Either there is one moral standard
for both men and women, or there /:
different standard for each. Ii only
one. then my position is unassailable
If two, then | am wrong, and the SOW.
ing OF wild oats in a young man should
be charitably overlooked, while tn,
same in any young woman should b.
severely censured. What is your opin
lon in the matter. one standard fol
both. or different standard for each.
CHARIZ NCy