The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09

~ II ARRIAGE on trial. tie
= ~ "a matrimonial reform pro-
posed by Mrs Parsons n
4 Il her much-assailed book
The Family" Is no now
city. The proposed method Of selection
which has stirred the pulpit 70 frenzy.
or cpiraeucal protests. and scathing de-
nunciation. has been Ga practical operation
FOR countless centuries in nearly every
part o. the world. and flourishes to-day
with All the vigor Of the traditional bay
tree ia America Africa, Asia and the
islands o. the Pacific.
Tn the evolution Of the marria-a rcls-
uon. PROPORTIONAL matrimony. in one form
or another. has been feature Of the
FAMILY life Of practically every race
Airs. Parsons's application OF the IN
ductive or Baconian method as a species
az FIRST aid 70 the Eros-striol<en in their
pursuit OF matrimonial felicity (cvnics
say the two words are mutually destruc-
tive and contradictory is an appeal 10
historical experience Of the race and not.
as nearly an of h~T vituperative critics
assert a radical. -larchistic reform"
OF her own create
In fact. Mrs. Parsons's matrimonial
probation suggestion might without un-
due violence 20 language and accuracy OF
statement be called the American or
"Wyandot" plan, as marriage on trial has
been from time tmmemorial an establish
cd institution among tie Indians. Ac-
cOrding TO the statements OF ethnologists
Fnany Indian tribes dissolve their matri-
monial unions as readily as they enter
INTO them. and the Wyandots according
20 the testimony Of Waltz had trial mar
riases which were binding for d few
days only.
scboolcraft tells us that among the
creeks marriage Is considered only as a
temporary convenience. not binding on
ule parties more than one year" the con-
sequence being that "a large uroportion
OF the old and middle-aged men. BY IRE.
quent changing. have had many wives
ana lhelr children scattered around the
country are unknown 10 them Evil
dences OF similar practices OF exr,e,sr7en-
tai matrimony and connubial variety are
found among many or the other Arneri-
can indian tribes on both continents.
In parts of Greenland SIX months is the
trial dead line, husband and wife seQarat-
Ing II the "two-hearts-t minds" theory
develops discord instead OF harmony
Marriages among the Botocudos. aocord-
ing TO Keane, is Of a purely temporary
nature. dissolved ON the slightest pretext
or without any pretext at all, merely
through love OF change or caprice" In
Tasmania says DIT Minigau trial
marriages result in q succession Of
wives" IN Samoa the wife's tenure Of
ONCE - frequently limited 20 a few days
OF weeks, and marriage is sometimes only
an excuse for the feasts and festivals 50
dear TO the hearts Of the pleasure loving
natives.
In the Indian archipelago It is com
mon practice for formal marriages to be
lfmited-sometimes for only month and
ut others FOR a period Of several years
St. John says that among the Dyaks
there are few middle-aged men who have
not had several wives, and instances
have been known of yo.~g women Of
seventeen or eighteen whc nave already
had three or four husband In portions
OF IndO-China il Is said TO be a rare oc-
currcnce for any woman TO arrive at
middle age without having a family BY
two or more husbands.
The Maldavians are 50 capicious that
II often happens thatNa man marries and
divorces the same woman three or four