The sun., 1901-06-02
liked xARRIAGEs IN NEW YORK.
TAs Nunbss eS weddiass Of Negroes end VINO
Inessasins el RecsaS Year..

TAs Nunbss es weddinss Of Negroes end "mss'
Inessasins ef Recent Year,.
Mixed marriages those OF whites ano
nearoes-have increased Ia this cty In the
past Ave years In 1895 there were 7S sucn
marriages. 800 negroes having marred whNe
women and 500 colored women having oeen
married TO white men. Last year there
were i,s&e. In which s7o negro women were
married to white men and s2e negroes mar
ried white women.
One man whose position has enabled MIN
10 make continued and thorough ooserva-
tions Of conditions In tho lives OF the osher
half OF New York's population has thS 70
say on the subject;
Z have met scores OF these mixed couples
and 90 far a. the principles are concerned
I do not believe that they are, as rule, either
more happy or more miserable than tne'r
neishbors who have welded like with IKE
They have az few sauabbles and as iew di-
voroes. proportionately, as couples that are
wholly white or wholly black
The children. however. are not so fortu-
nate It 10 diflcult for the little tots to place
themselves. They are outcssts from ooth
vhks and colored nooks, and when members
Of the same family are ranged on different
sides Of the color line. - 10 frequently the case
their situation 70 the more pitable
MY observation has further taught me
that a colored man makes Q better husband
| for q white woman than white man LOT
colored woman. The reason OF this 10 not
| far 10 seek The former seems TO feel tnat
he has been honored beyond measure oy
being accepted by Q white woman. ana ne
will willingly work bis fingers TO the bone
70 support her and her children In good style
= The white man. on the other hand. figures
| thst be has degr raded himself BY marrying
| a oolored woman. and he vents his displeasure
ovss the situation by letting his wife bear
the burden Of supporting tho entire family.
| It \ such dsspicable fellows - these that
ere st the root Of the trouble whenever the
vvss arising from Q mixed marriage are
aired 10 court.
Il have frequently heard people wonder
how these marriages are brought ABOUT
and express surprise that the Two races
should ever become 20 intimately acquainted
Is 70 venture into matrimony when you
consider the social conditions OF the city
you will ind that there Is nothing surprs'
ing about IT,
80 far a. I can fnd out, nine-tenths OF
theas mixed marriages result from co-em-
ployment OF the races. The selecuoh oi
servants without regard to racial character.
| istcs Is common In most city families ana
public houses. and men and women OF all
shades OF black and white are thus thrown
| tosether. II this close acquaintance reveals
congeniality OF temper the question OF color
| ia Eliminated from the matrimonial uiscus-
| sions. and for the time. at least, each ap-
Mara 10 lose sight OF the others complexion
sAnother thing worth noting Is that tne
| white partner In these combinations Is usuaily
a foreigner People from other countries
have not the same aversion 70 the NEGRO
| that is Implanted in the American breast
| and the man and tn ewoman new 70 our GUS
| iona see nothing out Of the way IN union
| With A person with a swarthy SKIN II you
| ooms down 10 statistics you Will see that ths
| number Of English people married 10 coIoneu s
people In New York exceeds any o'her ma
tonality two TO one. ,L,A a.,
AS 10 the residence Of these hybrid fam-
i,iss they are scattered around all over town
| There is one little colony OF them over on
| Wsst Thirty sixth and Thirty-seyentn streets.
| and another up on the East Side 10 SPEAK *
Of their social life is not easy because is
something that they have very httle 0i
sill. they manage TO get as much ENJOY,
mept out OF living as most other Peole IN ia
their environment. aud were II not ioI VIZ
unoertain status Of the children. ! should
not be prepared TO say that mixed marriages
| are at all bad institution