The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-19
Second Marriages.
BY Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright, 1915. by Frank Cranel


News from the White House has open.
I'd up lively debate in the newspapers
md sewing circles upon the question of
second marriages.
The subject, for convenience of dis
cussion, may be divided into four head
ings: Cd its legal, CD religious or
moral, (3) sentimental, and ca COM
Portable aspects.
A second marriage is undoubtedly
legal, except in those eases where
partner number one is alive and undi-
vorced. There seems TO be strong
prejudice against a man having two or
more wives at time, outside of GER
tain polygamOuS districts,
\ man really needs several wives, as
follows: One (rich) to support him, one
to attend to-s social duties, cite to keep
house, one to be his intellectual compan-
ion and one to do secretarial work for
the group. 1t is doubtful that any one
lady can fill all these varied functions.
On account Of the prejudice above
mentioned, however, this proper division
Of wifely duties remains an unreallzed
ideal. We shall have to- stump along
with the first missus the best we can.
Secondly. is second marriage moral
and consonant with the teaching of re-
Gyien2 Il IS. There are. or have been,
places in the world where the widow is
burned alive upon her husbands funeral
pyre. In such a case the matter OF Sec
ond would not interest her.
Some faiths prohibit a first marriage
to certain classes, those who have taken
vows of celibacy but if one has commit
ted matrimony once there seems TO be no
good theological grounds preventing his
committing it as often as his spouses
pass.
Thirdly, there is pronounced senti-
ment in some circles against anybody
marrying again. 1t appears to be con-
structive disloyalty to partner number
one.
The point is not we'll taken. Seeking
a secord mate should be regarded as a
compliment 10 the first.
There is a marrying type. Some men
cannot endure single blessedness, any
more than domesticated dog can be
happy roaming the woods like wolf
and unattached to some master.
Many wives fret themselves over the
prospect of husbands marrying again
II seems terrible. "To think of my John
with anOtner WOIlHl lIlcy oHouiu "
pei all such thoughts. Johns second
venture will not worry the first Mrs.
John. who will be at peace. Let the sec
ond Mrs. John do the worrying. As for
John himself, the wretch will probably
be nicer to number two than he was TO
number one. Men always are.
Fourthly does second marriage con-
duce to comfort? Is it practical? Is it
wise?
Or is-it ,-as- DR. Johnson said, "a
triumph of hope over experience?"
There appears to be a difference OF
opinion here. Many second-termers wish
they hadn't. Many others are glad they
did. There is no way to settle it except
to try it and see. as Mr.. Wilson. At all
events the experiment will be interest
ing
There is a monument in 9 graveyard
somewhere IN the Hudson River on one
side of which appear the names Of the
seven successive wives Of John Hawkins.
There ore Sarah. Fannie, Lucy. Jane,
Emma. Candace, and Flora. On the other
side is this inscription:
Sacred 10 the memory Of John Haw-
tirs Many are the Affections of the
righteous but the Lord delivereth him
out Of them al