The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-29
Phillip Gibson in the Kansas City Star.

Phillip Gibson in the Kansas City Star.
 VVYYHII,E Mexico has wonderfully
 N/ advanced along almost every w avenue of progress, it would
 seem that her people religiously adhere
 to medieval methods of forming matri- monial alliances.
 It would be almost ridiculous and un- precedented for the average Mexican 10 even dream of marriage unless he has at his disposal a sum more than moderate and has previously secured the consent of his parents. On the other hand, in- stances could be mentioned where two young persons who have never met each
 other and to whom the idea of love and marriage is as foreign as the art of fly ing becoming man and wife through the desire of their parents. This hap pens quite often when such an alliance Is incidentally advantageous to the brides or bridegrooms father, as the case may be. The bride may happen to be the daughter of a magnate and the marriage may, perhaps. be the means of avoiding bankruptcy, or to come down to a lower plane. the alliance may enable idle father to secure lucrative employment, or perhaps political incentives may exist. The motives, as a rule, are hidden and quite difficult of discernment. However, there are frequent cases where the trivial circumstances are apparent and conse- quently disgusting
 A case in point have in mind Is that where the father of the bride virtually bartered his daughter with the object of securing a reduction of his yearly tax, the father of the bridegroom being In position to aid in such plan.
 Taking the subject as whole. we cen- sure the Mexican, but isn't it a fact that the same conditions exist with almost every race. Be that as 1t may, such mar riages based upon trivial circumstances and advantages to the interested parties parents, as a rule terminate unsatisfac- torily and in a great many cases blight and wreck young lives upon the eve of their awakening.
 While the divorce laws of our United States and, more particularly the men and women who have applied for divorce under its provisions, are most severely criticised by our neighbors the Mexicans | (the higher class), it is my belief that | their theory that man and woman, once united should never separate and which theory will not permit of their resortine | to the court of divorce in Mexico, Is
 based. not upon principle. but upon the dictate of the church and self-respect, for t, separation of husband and wife in
 Mexico virtually excludes either from high
 society and generally their offspring; ir extreme cases preventing the marriage of
 a son or daughter of divorced parents
 and making social intercourse impossible The most revoiting side of the ques- | ton is that of marriages arranged by avaricious or planning parents to fur
 ther satisfy their own desires or whims regardless of the welfare or future o1
 their children. For example, when oc
 casion arises and the family of the daugh ter considers 1t polite or advantageous
 to strengthen the social ties existing be tween it and some other family, mar riage is at once selected as the entering wedge, regardless of plans, ambitions engagements or desires of their dutifu offspring Tn this manner many a young man and woman, but slightly acquainted
 are launched upon treacherous sea O matrimonial bliss without compass or rud der, as it were, and, as a natural SC quence, very quickly bring up against thu
 shoals of disagreement. disappointment and disenchantment.
 The brevity of arrangements of brida
 ties, as Illustrated above, which so ire
 quently terminate disastrously. are to {
 certain extent now giving way to nor
 considerate and intelligent methods, ant
 the old regime may in time completel'
 disappear.
 Now to look at the question from an ' other viewpoint--when, without the con
 sent of the parents two young person , become enamored of each other and event ually engaged. the brides father mua