The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-07-01
OF Interest
TO Women
Search the World ard You Will Not
Find the Equal Of The American
Husband-They are Devoted 10 their
Wives in a Sense Little Different
from Foreign Husbands.
+ q L.

Perhaps less would be heard about
the frequency of divorce in America il
we took into account the vastness OF
our territory and the immense pub.
licty that Is given by the press to
the details of private life. Notwith.
standing opinions to the contrary, our
people, by millions. are happy in mar.
rage and the family as an institution
rests on firm foundation. One may
travel through familiar country places
for miles passing from village to vii.
lage without encountering single
homestead that has been darkened by
domestic disruption. That unfortu.
nately there are divorces that might
have been prevented by little for.
bearance on the part of those most
nearly concerned, is perfectly true
and much to be lamented. Among
those who have abundant means for
material comfort, and on whom is
laid no terrific burden of ever-increas.
ing poverty, divorce followed by re-
marriage is far more frequent than in
any other class. Where husbands and
wives toll together for the raising OF
their children, where each incurs self.
denial and makes sacrifices for the
sake Of the other, there is less dan.
ger of fatal misunderstanding than
where men are absorbed in money.
making and women weary OF social
dissipation.
A recent novelist, writing a greatly
criticised book, placed the responsible.
ity for unhappy marriage upon the
wife rather than on the husband. In
his view, the American wife was d
restless, unsatisfied, extravagant or
as sometimes reckless, sometimes
shallow, and sometimes unscrupulous
in business, but, in most cases, they
were disposed to be loyal to wife and
home. His arguments were not entire
ly fair to the woman, but, on the
whole. they dealt justly with the man.
We may search the world to find q
better husband than our own home
product. An American husband is de.
voted to his wife in n sense a little
different from the phrase as applied
to the foreign husband. Chivalrous
by impulse, indulgent in practice,
ready to yield almost everything to
her slightest wish. the American hus-
hand treats his wife as II she were
reigning sovereign. Women OF other
countries look with envy on the won.
en- OF America, who seem to them to
!e the spoiled darlings OF fortune.
Whereas, in other lands, the man OF
the house is the parsonage most con-
sidered and the one whose will is law,
with us the opposite prevails, and 1t
is the wife who is the dictator and
au.ocrat, and the husband who car
les out her wishes to the utmost ex-
tent OF his power. If American wom-
tn have more time for reading, more
opportunities for diversion, more leis-
re 20 travel and greater room for ex.
r9rsion in the way of independence
than any other women on the globe, 1t
iq 10 their husbands that they owe q
debt of gratitude.
Many of our women have gone far
Gheld 70 find their companions in mar
I.GSe. No doubt there are extremely
fortunate international marriages, but
The girl who marries man who has
teen educated in circumstances and
recording to traditions different from
Lers runs n risk of being disillusion-
lied. Not her husband alone, but his
female relations, nearer or remoter,
Will play a part in her happiness or
Gnhappiness. Relations-in-law are
10. always congenial in America, but
the American wife and the American
husband are both able to deal with
taen on equal terms, or. If necessary,
they may preserve relations of neu-
tality.