Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-05-06
WOMEN WASTEFUL.
SO DECLARES ONE OF THE SEX
IN A PUBLIC MANNER.
Reason Assigned for the Failure OF
Many Young Men to Marry
Another View of the
Problem.

There was a conference of the Soci-
ETY. for Ethical Culture held in Manhat-
tan the other day. If a fair criticism OF
it by mere men is permissible, it proved
to us to be a very breezy and entertain
ing symposium. The leading topic for
conference, reports the Brooklyn Times.
was Women in Relation to Household
Economics" and Mrs, Helen T. Rich
ards, who is a star professor in a Bos-
to institute, was very largely in evil
dence as the chief speaker. The pith OF
her remarks appeared to rest upon the
every day problem as to why the young
men of the times do not marry, and one
of the reasons assigned by Mrs. Rich
ards for this lamentable condition OF
affairs was that annually given, i. e.,
$4,000 a year is the least a professional
man or clerk feels that he can safely
marry on with the hope of a happy re-
suit of the contract. Mrs. Richards, in
discussing the eason for the solitary
existence of SO many really nice and
companionable young men was quite
frank enough to say hat if ii was true
1t was a disgrace for our young women
to be too extravagant.
With all possible Difference to the SUI
perior wisdom of Mrs. Richards, and
with a becoming modesty, we beg to
differ with this statement. Isn't it be
cause of a change in social conditions.
for which the average young woman is
in nowise accountable, that so many OF
our young men refuse to accept the re-
sponsibility of married life? Isn't it
because they are seeking a wife who is
possessed of all the virtues of a domes-
tic machine, well oiled and warranted
to go OF forever, that these youths with
moderate incomes refuse to take the
important plunge? And If such is the
case a large majority of them will go
to their graves still in a state of bach
elorhood
The average girl of the present day
is not trained as her mother or her
grandmother was. A century ago do
nestle training for girls was entirely in
the ascendant, and commercialism and
the sciences were relegated entirely tc
the more robust of the sexes, those bet.
ter fitted to stand up before the hard
edges and seamy sides of the world. A
radical change has leveled the surface
of the worlds living in these latter
days. Our girls have become ambitious.
They seek equality with men in mems
work. They are being educated on diff
ferent lines. Domesticity is too tame
and commonplace and is ~relegated to
the background, with the result that
housewives are scarce and women clerks
as plentiful as fallen leaves in the au-
tumn. The situation doesn't disgrace
the girls; it simply changes the bent of
their usefulness. 1t may prevent them
from becoming the best of domestic
helpmeets, but it doesn't prevent them
from being charming companions, SYM
pathetic and lovable. A lack of knowI-
edge or experience in domestic affairs
must perforce entail an increased liy-
ing expense, but will the husband drop
his club, cigars and liquor to make up
the increased household expenses?
They don't like to do it, and generally
will not; hence the difficulty. A scien-
tifically educated young woman can
generally bring into use a well-trained
mind in the running of a household, with
resultant economy of expenditure, but
in such cases the wife deserves and
should get the cooperation of the hus-
band. The result in such cases-and
they are many-shonld be satisfactory
convincing that MARRIAGE unon a
limited income is justified.
Yet in spite of all our arguments pink
checked maidens are continually being
led to the altar by manly young men,
and happy homes continue to spring up.
II there is a falling of in marriages, the
blame rests equally upon both sexes.
There are as many women who refuse
proposals as there are men who neglect
to make them. Woman looks for more
because shs can DO more for her
self.