The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-05

There is a lively controversy in Phila-
! delphia over the question, when may a
young man marry" and the columns of
the philadelphia North American" are
| daily filled with discussions upon the pro-
priety of marriage on an income of twelve
dollars a week. Acrimonious remarks have
been made on both sides and the battle
waxeth hot. Meanwhile. it may be noted
| that in other columns are printed the usual
long list of marriage licenses.
lady who signed herself "A Mother
started this discussion by making the
statement that IL young men would marry
early, even If their incomes were small. it
would be much better than waiting for
better prospects, and perhaps not marry
ing at all. This letter was followed by one
from an "Old Bachelor who said that he
thought it was unfair to a girl to take her
out of her fathers comfortable home and
that love would soon cease ard divorce
case follow under such circumstances.
Then the fray began, and more letters are
being printed each day.
Of course. such discussions az these do
not affect the community, but they are
rather interesting for two or three reasons.
For one thing, they show how little some
people in every town know about their
neighbors. One letter writer branded as
ian incapable the married man wis an
income of twelve dollars week. and Two
or three others seemed to think that TO
marry on such an income was simply
suicidal. AS a matter of fact. the immense
majority OF married men in this country do
not average twelve dollars a week. although
this sum means less in a city than in a
country small town. The man who
makes twelve dollars a week. has a small
rent to pay, and chance to raise his cwn
poultry and vegetables, is comfortably of
compared with his village neighbors. But
IL he lives In a city and must pay from
fifteen to thirty dollars a month in rent,
of course he cannot be as comfortable. II
every man waited until his income ex-
ceeded this figure before he dared to take
a wife there would be practically no mar
rying in this country.
1t Is absurd, OF course. to say that two
people can live as cheaply as one. They
cannot, any more than they can both ride
on one car-fare. if each insists on having
all the luXuries enjoyed before marriage
If man has been earning ten dollars a
week and a woman six dollars, manifest
ly they cannot make ten dollars do the
work OF sixteen dollars. But there is an
other fact which will offset this: namely, |
that il they really love each other, they
will get more enjoyment out of double i
housekeeping at ten dollars week than |
out OF single life on much larger income. |
They will save something in rent, in cloth /
ing, in housekeeping expenses. If the wife I
Is a good home maker; and the sums for 4
merly spent on mere social pleasures they /
will spend together in such a way that the |
enjoyment will be more than doubled. Il |
all depends on whether they care more |
about each other than about furniture and |
clothes. and tobacco. and theatres, and |
dances. Two young married people can |
economic more easily and get more 1
amusement out OF 1t than any other econo-
mists in the world, and the younger they |
are, within certain reasonable limits, the 4
more likely this is 10 be true. II is not at |
all certain that the young fellow of TWEEN
ty-ive or thirty. with an income of twelve
dollars a week. is an incapable -
or anything like it. He may be
one of the most capable fellows In
the community, and be recognized as
such when lie is ten years older and not
be genius either. But the majority Of
such men have risen from positions where
they earned five dollars a week, and the
women they marry have lived an
income of twenty dollars a month
or less; and these couples are not
going TO be afraid OF poverty in their mar
ried lives. because they know how to make
themselves comfortable. The more homes
Of this kind can be established. the better
il will be for the country.