The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-08
LET WOMEN
PROPOSE

A WE'LL known English clergyman
has made a daring suggestion. In
pleading hard for greater equality be-
tween the sexes where certain matters
were concerned he ventured to express
the hope that the day might not be
far distant when it should be consid-
cred as natural and as modest for a
woman to propose marriage TO a man
as it is now for man to offer his heart
and hand to one of the opposite sex
His idea is by no means a new one, but
the fact that 1t has been seriously
brought forward by cleric will doubt
less fill with apprehension the soul of
man. Hitherto he has regarded 1t as
his almost divine right to suggest mar
riage. On this fact he has based his
superiority, and by this means he has
held woman in subsection. He has
made her dependent on his within and
caprice and favor.
If the time ever comes when girls
will not need to wait to be asked in
marriage 1t Will still be possible for
man to take the initiative IL he likes.
No one would wish to rob him of the
delight of speaking first, only he Will
have to be less diff1dent than he Is at
present in a rather different way. 1t
offer, and perhaps the more conceited
specimens of manhood will find the
plan work much better in their case.
They would be able in such circum-
stances to pick and choose" with
greater security. AS matters now stand.
If Edwin, whose chief asset is his per-
sonal appearance, wants to marry for
money he has to proceed very warily.
He cannot very well ask seemingly
suitable girl what her prospects are
Appearances are deceitful. Her father
may have nothing to leave, though he
has a town and country house, superb
motor and a wine cellar. So Edwin has
to run a certain amount of risk when
he asks Angelina to accept him. Now,
if Angelina is allowed to ask Edwin
| she can put her financial and social
position before him. and there is more
likelihood of mutual understanding.
In the coming by and by women
doubtless will be less financially de-
pendent on man. Presumably, there
fore. they will more often be able to
marry for love alone. When they do
love, why should they not say so? They
can but cast the die as men do. If they
are refused they will be no worse off, aft
er all, than if they never tell their love.
but let concealment, like a worm in the
bud, eat out their aching hearts. To
do man justice, his hesitation to suggest
marriage may often be due to his I'M
selfishness or his chivalry. He may
not think himself worthy to marry a
particular girl. He may regard it as
impossible to ask her to share such
home as he can offer. Why not, then,
make no more bones about 1T, but give
the proposal right to both sexes alike
and see what effect it has on marriage
statistics? If men do not like the ar
rangement they can but signify their
disapproval in the simplest manner.
The difficulty lies in making the inno-
walton. How could the project be
started? Who would lead of, and how
could a woman be sure that a sufficient
number of her sex would have the cour-
age to follow in her train? The only
! possible way of insuring a trial of the
system would be for a certain date to
! be fixed, let us say, as a general pro-
posal day and see what advantage was
taken of 1t. AS last word it may be
pointed out that woman's instinct is
always supposed to serve her excellent
! ly well as a guide. so 1t is possible that
she would never propose where she did
not think she was likely to be &C.
] cepted.