Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-10-14
INTERNATIONAL MARRIAGES.
A Modern Way For ManifestIng World
FELLOWSHIP.

A foolish American woman, whose
matrimonial escapadings with disre-
putable foreign men of title have been
exploited by the press of two contin-
ents, has been held up as truly law
full example of the undesirableness OF
international marriages, and indeed
the public rancor again this form or
alliance has inspired at least one legis-
iator to suggest the advisability of the
national government taking a hand ill
prohibiting it-as if that could be
done. The impression conveyed by all
this denunciatory writing and talk is
that only misery awaits the native girl
who has the wretched taste to turn
her back upon the American man, adj
mitted by all the world to be incoin-
parable as a husband; but the truth
is that only a small proportion of in
ternational marriages turn out disas-
trously, the American foreign wed girl
as rule being as happy III her domes-
tic relations as her sisters who prefer
nomespEra: and III addition achieving
2 more or ,css enviable social dlsllne-
tion. impossible to compass in de-
mocracy. 1t is, of course, to be ex-
pected that the American eagle should
scream with indignant rage upon dis
covering that girls born and bred here
hunger for the flesh pots of monarcni-
cal titles. but until in this, and all
other republics. social as well as politi-
cal democracy obtains, that hunger
will surely continue
AS it is not expected that girls Oh
the leisure class shall distinguish
themselves in careers other than So
cial ones, it is natural that the more
ambitious and daring Of them should
aim high, just as their ambitious
brothers set out to win the highest
honors in industrial, commercial and
political careers. There can be no
gainsaying the fact that a long pedi-
gree title confers social distinction OF
an altitude which nothing that re-
public has TO offer socially can touch
and hence what more natural than
that the girl, subjected to the energiz-
ing influences of her American envir-
onment, and restricted as to her choice
of careers by training and the force
of public opinion, should grasp at the
highest social attainment within her
possibilities?
The United States and other coun-
tries maintain elaborate and costly
systems of consular service, a large
part of the activities of which are
devoted to the study of methods for
wrestling trade away from foreign
rivals. and is not the girl, debarred by
custom from engaging in international
trade conquests, only following the ex-
annie of her brothers when she also
engages In international contests in
her sphere? That she carries off CO.
cial prizes. winning them from coun-
tries Astounding in girls with youth.
beauty, charm and birth to commend
them, certainly ought not to be the ac-
losion of reproach to her. Rather is
she not keeping up the tradition. In
beautiful winsome way, OF America
ability TO carry everything before her!
Moreover, it must be borne IN MIND
that the international marriage is usn-
ally not a matter of pure trade-so
much cash down for a title-but that
there are many worthy lords of high
degree with substantial bank accounts
who are eager. willing captives- That
only those international marriages in
which the barter feature is the main