Henderson gold leaf., 1911-12-28
WHENWOnEN SH0ULDnaRRY.
President Taft Gives His Views
on the Subject Should
Marry as a Matter of Choice
and Not of Necessity.

Inc following ID IIcSIoCLCo
Taft's views on marriage as he
expresses them:
Il wish that every girl IN the
world were so situated that she
would not think it a necessity for
her to marry unless she really
wanted to.
Il would like to have a scheme
of things so arranged that Wom-
en-. when they come to decide
as to matrimony, should have a
full unfettered choice This they
can have only when they are ab.
solutely independent. Then II
they decide to marry, they can
turn their faces toward the new
life with the reasonable hope OF
years Of unmixed happiness.
Now the question arises as to
how the girls of the country can
reach this position which is their
due. | believe that the most I'M
portant education possible is
tha- kind which be called in
dustrlaI vocational education, the
kind that puts young men and
young women in a position from
which they can, by their own Ell
forts, work themselves TO IN
dependence. And few things
give me as great pleasure as my
conviction that this view IS beng
more and more widely accepted
throughout the country. 1t IS
the main chance for your young
women.
Il know that it is a common
belief that those who inherit
wealth stand the best chance for
a happy life and for enjoyment.
This is the opinion held by both
young men and women. But |
do not agree with it. The best
thing you can give a young man
is a good education and that sort
of ambition which will lead him
to carve out his own career and
to make his own position IN the
world of men and events. This
is not less true with regard
to the girls Of the country. The
great trouble has been that we
have never given women a fair
show. We have not opened to
her all the means Of livelihood
that she is able to fill. In fact, |
believe that women today are
kept out of some sorts of work
that she is better able to fill
tnan men are.
Il have said in some Of my
speeches in various parts Of the
country that I am very glad, in
deed, that | shall have no prop
erty to leave to my boys.
To my two sons | shall only
leave good character, a
good education and a pride in
themselves. but fOsmy daughter
| intend to scrape together as
much as | can to give her and
train her in such a manner that
she shall take in the great fact,
for the sake of her own hap
piness. she shall marry when she
chooses and not because of cir
cumstances.
Il am not one of those who be-
lieve that matrimOny is a neces-
sity for women. There is TOO
wide an impression among our
people today that if a girl does
not marry she is not a success in
life. LIDO not think it can be toe
strongly impressed on girls that
matrimOny is not j necessity.
There can be. as amatter of fact,
cases when exactly the reverse
is true. mean by that, some
women would have been greater
successes unmarried than mar
ried.
What I particularly want tc
see. IS such 2 system of education.
such liberal view by the men.
such a series of opportunities
that no woman can be harasSeC
and hampered by the old beliet
that marriage is 4 necessity that
even an unhappy marriage is
better than no marriage There
are women and it is difficult t
pay ahtting tribute to the courage
of all women there are some
women who struggle through Eft
whose husbands are worthless
1t IS impossible for a woman 5,
situated to have a life that cal
be called really happy. She ma.
try to find happiness anew in he
children. but this will be onl,
partial, only half the JOY to which
sheis entitled. And she wiNpaS
an inceSsant tribute of suffering
to that viewpoint which led he
TO accept man unsaited to her.