The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-09-17
MISS CLEMENTS INDEPEND.
ENCE.

According to the editorial space al
lotted it by newspapers both great and
small, the action of Miss Ethel Glenn
ent of Rutland in refusing to subscribe
to the word obey in the marriage oere-
mony almost ranks in Importance with
the Panama canal problem and the
Balkan situation. There is scarcely
paper of note in the east that has not
preached a sermon upon the incident
and it is particularly interesting to
note that in nearly every case the
spunky Rutland girl comes in for
much praise because of her sturdy in
dependence in the matter. The Spring
field Republican devotes considerable
space to the discussion. saying in part
When Miss Ethel Clement of Rut-
land, that charming Vermont town in
the heart of the marble region, OBJ
jected to utter the word obey i \ the
marriage service of the Protestant
Episcopal church, and elected rather
to be married by a Congregational
minister, who was not compelled by
any ritual to require it, she had no
notion of waking general dispute
over the matter. But SO great is the
power of tradition, SO pervading the
superstition Of the subsection of
woman, that the incident has received
much attention. We read the most
scathing comments on the conduct of
Miss Clement, who is certainly a
woman of character and conscience,
and also of cultivated intellect and
social standing. Nevertheless here is
What an eminent journal like the New
York Tribune allows one of its ju-
venile editors to say:
"She embarks upon her conjugal ca
reer with the buoyancy and light
heartedness of one not vowed to mind
anybody. The number OF these head
strong and insubordlnate brides is hap
PLY never large enough to cause So
cial revolution, but about so many are
sure to appear during each pairing
season, and it is just possible that the
records of most of them may show
forth a sweet docility instead of that
kicking in the harness which might
not unreasonably be looked for. "
The contrary is the fact. This
woman starts honestly on her wifely
duties. They must be the same for
husband and wife, and not otherwise.
The word and idea obey as applied
to the woman alone is wrong. They
would be no better, but just as right,
if it were the man who should say
"obey." They belong to an age which
passes as the higher conception of
marriage prevails Neither should
obey, neither should command; the
husband and wife are equal partners
in the life of the family, and they meet
on equal terms; they are to reason to-
gether, and III mutual love to deter
mine the course of their life. The
husband may be the stronger and the
wiser, the wife may be the stronger
and the wiser, and if the union be
based on anything more permanent
than mere attraction of sex or sordid
business conditions, the essential quail
tiles of the pair will find their own
power, and be recognized, to the
gradual arrival at a true o-working,
such as fulfils the fit idea of marriage.
A structure like that we have quoted
is not worthy of utterance in this day
and this stage of perception of the
equality of man and woman.
Of the same opinion is the Windham
County Reformer which says:
Miss Ethel Clement of Rutland, who
objects to the word "obey' in the
marriage service is probably woman
to whom promise means something.
She does not wish to cheaper her word
by giving it unnecessarily or where
she has no idea of keeping it. And
she is quite right. In the old days,
before woman had been given educa-
tional privileges, and when custom
kept her closely in the home, depend
ent upon the exertions of father, broth
or or husband, there was some signifi-
canoe to the word ''obey" as applied
to her. In those times women obeyed
their husbands, or were supposed to.
If they had their own way then. 1T
was only through the unexplainable
wiles of femininity, as old as the
world. But now it is different.
Woman is no longer dependent, suber-
Went, clinging. She is an individual,
thoughtful, reliant, resourceful. She
is her husbands companion, comrade,
partner-not his shadow and echo.
Sometimes in the affairs OF. the family