The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10
YEARNING FOR PUBLICITY.
Why, for Instance, should People
Wish Their weddings Published.
Brooklyn Eagle.

Brooklyn Eagle.
The increasing publicity that is given to
private affairs may betoken an increasing
brotherhood in the race that justifies every
member of it in what would once have
seemed like impertinent inquiries into the
finances. family relations, industries and
fads of every other member; or it may be
denote an increasing willingness on the
part of people who do not see a clear way
to fame in any other direction, to attain
it by opening the parlor windows that the
under world may see the doings of the
over world on reception and dinner nights;
or 1t may be merely a part of modern
newspaper enterprise that cOnceives the
survival in cities of the gossiping spirit of
hcity, and there is no doubt that II Is IN
creasing, like the material fortunes that
occasion the most of it.
In no other thing do we find so remark
able an exploitation of affairs that are
none of the Dublic's business as in we'd
dingS. Tt cannot be alleged that there is
anything uncommon about weddings. They
are happening every hour, all over the
world, and they involve in happiness or
trouble every sort and shade of people.
They are not quite so usual as births and
deaths. but they are almost. One would
think that they deserved no more adVer-
Using than does the conduct of grocery
or the taking of a vacation. Yet, II either
party to the marriage contract has GER
tain number of dollars, be sure that the
outer world Will know all about the wed
ding. We shall have full reports of what
is worn, the food at the breakfast VIII
be described, critical comment on the frock
coats and cOatless frockS of the invited
will be furnished by experts, there will
be a complete list Of that noble army OF
standbys known as among those pres
ent," bride and groom will be watched as
they enter the church, and If either OF
them f1nches or repents or cuts caper
of JOY, the report will be sent to syndl-
cate of newspapers all over the land, and,
finally, there will be pictures OF the bride,
the groom, the parents of both, the house
of each family, the house or hotel of the
young couple, the decorated dining room,
the church, the table covered with pres
ents, and at least one enterprising paper
has beaten various contemporaries by fur
nishing pictures of the brides most init
mate raiment.
Well, if the persons in interest like this
kind of thing they have plenty or what
they like. Yet there is a lingering and old
fashioned sentiment that private affairs
like funerals weddings. christenings, re-
ceptions, balls and dinners, concern only
participants and relatives, and as there Is a
certain similarity in these functions, Whlcn
enables the reader to draw differences from
verbal outlines, there need be at least no
extended description. Probably q few peo-
pie employed in monotonous tasks at low
wages like TO read about the way people Of
mOnotonous leisure make tasks for them
selves by the distribution of high incomes,
just il is said that the most confirmed
readers Of society news in London are the
servants. but TO the mass of Americans 1t
can matter little whether Miss Smythe-
Perkins goes 10 the altar in a white or
candle with mauve swiss biased on the
etamine, in a purple velour garnished
with percales and foulards sewed in the
cores. Nor can the parents Of Miss
Smythe-P Perkins, nor the husband of her,
conceive how the public can be lifted or
educated or amused or in anywise inter-
ested in the matter, yet, for some reason
there is even greater tendency to eX-
plot the private dOings of private fam
lilies and open the doors of private houses
to the gaze of the unrelated multitude.
Is it worth while, matter of news,
and is the tendency cOmmendable? Does
not the giving Of national publicity to af-
fairs that are OF only personal or local con-
sequence tend to inVasions Of privacy that
sometimes encroach on right and decency,
and also intensity that struggle for notice
on the part of those who by endowment,
occupations, aims, or charities have done
nothing to deserve it? And, as rich fami-
lies increase and the papers are more and
more filled with accounts of their eating,
drinking, driving and giving of parties, will
not the people who are busy about matters
of more consequence sicken of it and ask
for a return to the publication of news
If SO, the evil is one that will cure itself.