El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-07
Dix

THREE thousand eight hundred
and eighty-three persons were
arraigned in the domestic rela-
tions court in New York during the
year 1911.
Just think Of the amount OF domes-
tic misery thai those figures repre-
sent; think Of the deserts OF blasted
illusions and blighted hopes. of the
mountains Of broken dreams. the sa1l
seas of tears for which they stand
Just think. that in one city alone, be-
sides the ubiquitous common or
garden variety OF family spats there
were 1888 husbands and wives VINO
Quarreled TO such an extent that they
took their difficulties into court
1t is appalling. 1t is enough to make
anybody conclude that II marriage ism
A failure, IL is the short cut 10 trouble,
In commenting on these cases OF
domestic infelicity Miss Rose McQua0es
the probation officer OF the domestic
relations court, says
married people that sends them 10 our
court is the mother-tn-laW. 1t makes
no difference whether it's the mans
mother or the WOman's mother her
appearance in a household is the be-
ginning OF trouble and l have come 10
the conclusion that a mOther-in-laW
should never pay more than rorInal
call TO the home Of her sOn-in-laW- And
under no circumstances should she re-
main over night
The second source of trouble is
drinking on the part Of the husband
and slovenliness on the part Of the wite.
third reason for disagreement in the
family Is extravaganza and shiftless-
ness.
But underneath II all is the vital
1act that the average weekly wage OF
the men arraigned here is between SO
and Sl2 dollars
sounds Sordid.
This sounds sOrdid. doesn't it? The
romantic
templating marrying on nothing but
love, and who believe that tney can
live on kisses viii be hOrritied at this
plain blunt statement OF the fact that
loves young dream has to be sus-
cained on beefsteak and onions or else
II turns up Its little toes and dies, ana
that people who lack the ordinary COM
forts Of life no longer kiss. They snap
and snarl at each other.
Yet such is unfortunately the case.
Marriage is a business, as wen as
into bankruptcy If il has not surIi-
cient financial backing. This does not
mean that il must be capitalized INTO
the millions. Far from it. UnoOuDt-
edly young people OF moderate means
who work together and sacrifice to
gether and build up together are the
nappiest.
But they must have enough income
to provide them with the ordinary
comforts and decencies Of life. or else
their marriage is a foredoOmed fallure
There is no such thing possible as q
cheerful, contented. peaceful nome
where the wolf sits on the doorstep
bowling. and where the husband s ana
Wife's nerves are on edge with anNlety
about the future and over SJfaln anu
privation in the present.
sees her husband hagSard ana oIu, an
worn out before his time, striving vain
The man who sees his family nalI
starving on his insufficient wage, Who
looks at his wifes worn, white Iace,
and his under nourished children. must
curse himself for having brought sucl
misery on those he loves ana Tor q
fool for having married. The VIE w
~ to support his family IN SoullOi :,
must reproach herself for belhB z
burden upon him and feel it would nave
been better for both OF them II they
had been stricken dead on their Wea-
ding day instead OF plunging reckle5sly
into a life that has meant nothing pue
hardships to both of them
A Comparison.
It Is inevitable that the man. Deihs
human. under such circumstances con-
Jrasts Mss lot with that Of his unInar-
rfed companions who on the same
salary are enabled to live com1orlADIy
because they can spend all they make
on themselves. 1t is inevitable that
the woman being human should con-
trast her lot with that Of her unmar-
ried friends who work no harder than
she does. but whose salaries enable
them to have good clothes and good
food and a comfortabl place to live
IN It is also inevitable under such
circumstances that the man and the
woman should reproach each other ana