Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-02
TAFT,S VIEWS OF MARRIAGE.
Wishes for Scheme of Things Permit
ting an Unfettered Choice.

Giving his views upon matrimony, in an
interview published in the October Wo-
mans World President Taft said:
Il wish that every girl in the world
were so situated that she would not think
it necessary for her to marry unless she
really wanted to.
Il would like to have the scheme of
things so arranged that women, when
they come to decide as to matrimony,
should have full and unfettered choice
This they can have only when they are
in such position that they are absolute
" Independent. Then, il they decide to
marry, they can turn their faces toward
the new life with the reasonable hope of
years of unnlixed happiness.
Now the question arises, as TO how the
girls of the country can reach this posi-
ton which is their due. / believe that
the most important education possible Is
that kind which may be called industrial
vocational education. the kind that puts
young men and young women in posi-
ton from which they can by their own
efforts work themselves TO independence.
And few things give me as great pleasure
as my conviction that this View is being
more and more widely accepted through
out the country. 1t is the main chance
for our young women.
II know that it is a common belief that
those who inherit wealth stand the best
chance for happy life aud FOR enjoy
ment This is the opinion held by botf
young men and young women. But DC
not agree with it. The best thing you car
give a young man Is good education
and that sort of ambition which will leae
him TO carve out his own career and L
make his own position in the world O
! men and events This is no less true witt
Lregard to the girls of the country III
/ great trouble has been that we nav
/ never given women fair show w
have not opened to her all the means
| livelihood that she is able to I'LL, In facs
1 believe that women today are kept OF,
of some sorts of work which in certain re
| spects she is better able to I'LL than me
are
have said in some of my speeche
in various parts of the country mat al
very glad indeed that | shall nave
property to leave to my boys. 10 IN
two sons | shall leave only good ehai
acter. a good education and a pride
themselves but for my daughter IL
tend to scrape together as much as ca
give her and to train her in such MAJ
| ner that she shall take in the great rae
| that for the sake of her own happines
she shall marry only when she choos'
e and not because of circumstances.
n 81 am not one of those who believe tina
: matrimonv is a necessity for wome
n There is too wide an impression amoi
k onr neople today that if a girl does n
! "a in lie. i
s not think it can be too strongly Impress
on girls that matrimony is not hece
t sitv. There can be as matter OF fa'
cases when exactly the reverse Is true
mean by that, some women would ha
been greater successes unmarried TN
married
"What | particularly want to see,
such 81 system of education, such Il
eral view by the men, such series
onnortunities that no woman can
tarassed and hampered by the old bel
~ that marriage is necessity anu u
e1 even an unhappy marriage is better III
-, No marriage. There are wonderland
an &c diffieult to pay fitting tribute TO
- courage of all women-there are SO
to ,ronen who struggle through life W
h,..hanss who are worthless. 1t is
,o,s,hle for a woman SO situated to Ia
ufa that can be called really nap
-. cha may try to find happiness anew
on Ia. children. but this will only be part
a,ly half of the joy to which she is
t;tlad And she will pay an incess
~ tribute of suffering to that vieWpe
which led her to accept man uhsui
will to her,