The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-10-22
An English Woman
Says Men Would
Marry Willingly
Gives as a Reason That the
Woman Will Not Consent
to Marry More
Men
"A True Woman" in London Free

Lance.
It is just what might have been eX-
pected from the modern man, this
shifting of the blame for the decline
in marriages onto the shoulders of the
women. Man is piqued because he
feels instinctively that he does not
find favor with the fair sex, and out
of mere spite he turns up his lordly
nose and says that he does not mar
ry because women are not good
enough for him He sets up fanciful
ideal. which he never for a moment
expects will be realized, and says
that he wants that, and will take care
that he gets It. If by any freak of ma
/ ture the abnormality which man up
holds as the perfect woman were to
be found, she would never find favor
with the average lord of creation"
for by then he would have decided
that the extinct Dodo was the proper
mate for him.
The whole question is summed up
in the fable of the fox and the grapes.
Many would fly TO our arms If we
would let him. but the natural instinct
in him tellss him that he would be re
jected, and, feeling sufficiently small
as he is, he does not dare to risk
further humiliation. No; the brave,
strong man" initiates the fox and
tries to persuade his fellows that
wearing a tail, in the shape of wife
and that, after ALL is the position
he wishes to assign to her, a mere
decoration or appendage-is not fash
ionable. nay. rather cumbersome At
the same time he secretly envies those
who have been graciously accepted by
the very necessary woman"
In his chagrin man accuses us,
whom he is dying 20 propose to, of
being fond of amusement, and ranks
this partialty as a sin. Who is the
greatest patron of all forms Of en-.
tertainment, | should like TO know,
man or woman? Do we require that
one page at least of every daily pa
per shall be filed with accounts of
sports? Do we form half Of the aud.
iences In music halls and theatres?
Do we lounge around In billiard sa.
looms or card rooms when we ought
20 be earning our daily bread? Are
we ever heard to chuckle over that
awful spree at Jinks?"
The accusation is unjust, cowardly,
but eminently manly.
II we are fond of occasionally call
ing on some friends OF our own sex
and discussing with them the affairs
OF the day. can we be blamed for
wishing now and again to mingle with
people who treat us as equals and not
as mere toys or interiors? For true
appreciation we must fly TO our own
sex. even though we are charged with
gossiping. Nor should we be uphTRid.
ed for desiring 20 become strong, see
ing that we are perpetually being
sneered at as the weaker sex"
What is there. / ask, to make us
feel inclined 10 honor a man by mar
rying him? From the moment he
first meets us he commences TO treat
us as II we were not endowed with
reason; he talks to us as il foolish
compliments we're all that woman
could possibly desire; he airs his own
greatness, with the natural result that
he makes us feel small, and he won
ders that we are not in a hurry 10
accept this inferior position for the
rest OF our lives Many a man talks
far more nationally 10 his pet terrier
than he does 10 the lady he takes in
20 dinner. albeit she may be far bet
ter educated than he is, and as ac
Quaintance ripens his conversation
becomes more insane. tin. as he ap
breaches the stage when he fancies
he ought 10 suggest marriage. his ad.
uiation becomes positively sickening.
do not say that woman dislikes
praise; 40. she Is fond OF ii. but 1t
must be sincere and come from
man whom she can respect
There | touch the two most necess.
sary characteristics in the man whom
woman wants TO marry; sincerity and
the power 20 command respect Nat.
urally we dislike compliments which
We feel sure have been rehearsed 20
barmaids, or practlced on other wo-
men, while without respect there can
be no true love
Let a man by his life show that he
is pure. straightforward and truly
chiYalrOus. and his words viii then