The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-07-13
THE AMERICAN GIRL
SOME REASONS WHY SHF DOES
NOT MARRY.
The Prince of Good Fellow, f.'r a
Companion. but Too Self Reliant
To Depend on Her Husband.

Companion. but Too Self Reliant |
To Depend on Her Husband.
Ny pen has been itching for some
months 70 Spatter of few accumu- |
latinS thoughts on this subject. Not
even the mouopolistic ravaSes OF
,rus. upon trust could give rise with
IN me 10 such nveciives as are call
ed forth when think OF the grow
ing unfttedness OF the average
American girl for malrimony.
AS companions and comrades in
pleasure-seeking the American GIL
may acknowledge 10 peer. Jolly.
full Of spirit. daring TO recs.essness.
she accepts NO lead but her own
She is the prince Of good fellow.
The glad hard Of comradeship is
gaily extended. She is even ocoonl-
ing as expert as ourselves in oriSi-
mating a multitude OF bare!y-con-
ventional things that we have al
ways mysie-iously referred 10 IS
"doinss.
But. to marry her. respectfully
decline. The very self-Teiiance up
on which she prides herself. would
also proves the undoing OF the
house. What man cares 70 ackno~-
ledge the existence OF any initiative
other than his own within the four
walls OF his home. The co-operati:"
spiri; un!olds itself glor!ously IN
theory but in practice you eventually
| find the cooperation solely between
the righ; and left hand Of one per-
son. The human system is so con-
s,i;uted. that lacking the power 20
dominate. it become vitality nee
essary to be dominated. In business
two forces striving toward suprem-
acy will in time. resolve themselves
into i-ct and second.
You ask why this may not be so
in matrimony Because these oppos-
ing forces can only be settled on a
business basis. inasmuch as they
are propelled by the lower british
characteristics. largely selfishness,
and must be governed by cold mat
,er-fact law. And this. IN itself.
kills the sentiment necessary 10 ma
tr!mony.
And the American girl. rapidly
becoming obessed with the idea Of
her supremacy. or al least eQuaiit:
with despiscd man. is making OF her
self practically impossible matr:-
moa!al factor. in that her indepen-
dence is creating in herse an Ell
ement OF opposition that carries no
necessary quality or characteristic
for the true home life and mother
hood. The sweet dependency urol
the man so prominent few decades
ago is rapidly giving away 20 self
reliance in the feminine sex that
forecasts nothing but An inc eas!nG
clash Of wills in bond so close a.
that OF Matrimo:y.
This spirit Of growing !pdepen-
dence is harsh diScordant note &c
infuse into the home atmosphere. As
in any corporation or combination o:
persons for an ultimate result. there
must be a guiding force. so the mat
rimorial combination must have its
pilot. And among my gentle.
friends | fail 10 place single one
who would not believe herself com
petcn; 70 be the guiding force. an
who would not take i; upon hersei:
TO assume as much Of power as sac
might be allowed.
Under these conditions no law OF
human nature could be invoked to
prevent friction. And where then
would BE- the kcnor. obedience and
love on which n,a;rimoDy has rested
from time immcmorial? And even
could the possibility OF friction be
eliminated the ascerdancy OF this In
dependent do-ior-myse!f-or
spirit is largely responsible for the
growing familiarity of the modern
American girl with the opposite sex.
II is true that this familiarity. un-
thought OF thirty years ago. does not
necessarily become question oi
morals. bu, X does endanger and Of
ten kill. the respect that every true
man accords a woman. And With
this loss OF respect bonds OF any
sort. nlatrimon al or otherwise. arc
Impossible.
bod ing the Issue with theory and
proverb IS We may. vet the nec"sSi-
* OF one ruling power in the home
still remains. Cast your eyes a
morS your frien&s. You will an:
happiness where there is cour; OF
last resort Where this is not the
case / challenge YOU 20 show perfect
harmony. harmony devoid OF pet
" srictions rife in modern ma;r!mon-
ial taneies. And petty quarreis. o.!
At least ruarreIs with petty origin.
| are undermining the entire :nS;i;u-
ton OF matrimony. Cold hard STAT
| S.ics prove Il; One GU; OF every
twelve marriages ends in divorce.
So why should the man marry
:hen the moaren American girl is
constantly training herself. or de-
v.ioring il you will. along ines tha;
increase the probability Of friction