The commonwealth., 1915-05-13
Proposals in Writing.

TIE attention. e the single men
and maidens. and OF widows also. IS
directed to bill just introduced in
to The New York Legislature pre-
viding that no agreements shall be
enforced by the courts unless they
have been reduced in writing and
signed by the parties. This is
subject worth consideration at all
times, but it is especially approprl-
ate at this season when a young
mans fancy lightly turns TO
thoughts Of love-" and when the
young women who are not sched-
uIed for Easter weddings are plan
ming to be June brides.
The purpose Of the bill, ostensibly,
is to protect men from suits for
breach of promise. which are,
strictly speaking, hlackmailing en-
terpri5ls. But it would serve
equally we'll to protect men whose
favorite recreation is TO make love
to woman, and when that has been
accomplished, make some more~love
TO some other women. The written
proposal Of marriage, duly signed
has several points CT advantage
about it, but it is important that all
marriageable persons should be well
IN. ormed Of the measure il it should
become a law, and be Oh their
guard. If the rules Of the game are
to be changed there should be full
notice for the protection Of all con
cerned.
The change would probably re
duce the marriage rate in notable
percentage. There are some bash
full men who find it easier to pro
pose by letter than orally, but most
men glide gently into q avoWal OF
their affection under the personal
magnetism Of the charmino
creature, and are liable to be scared
off by the production Of a blank
form looking like an income tax re
turn, with the request Of the CIR
that they fill it out and sign it while
she is communing with her sou
whether to add her signature
When sir. something or other pro
posed to Peg O. My Heart, who hac
already received matrimonial over.
lures from two undesirables, she
asked Are you making a pro
posal of marriage to me?" Where
at the man she was dying to marry
stalked off to the window and look
gloomily into the river, and tht
alarmed girl upbraided herself fo1
. her folly in talking too much. Il
this case the man had to get owe,
his alarm at the gross, open arc
paIpable naming OF the transaction
because the play could not have
gone on otherwise; but many a pro
posa! off the stage has been perma
nent'y wrecked hT the injection .
, too much common sense into an al
. fair usually described by other
than the participants as q piece 0
Stiffness.
How many men would sign an
saal~a written agreement Of mar
riagc if the girl, upon receiving IL
tender avoWal, had promptly gon
: tc her fathers desk and ohtained
: sheet OF paper ard pen and IN
;. and asked the infatuated man
; man to please reduce his plea; ar
remarks to writing
r Perhaps it would be irst as We
:, to leave the proposal to oral {
@ osooI&tcry terms and merely aboiis
! suits fer breach Of promise Of ma
:. rage. No woman really wishes
: mary the man who hss thrown h
. off, Oh il she does, it is ONLY foz, Il
:, possession Of some Of his none
- The modern woman snears 1T i,
! idea Of marriage as a career s.:
,, can make her own career, Just
her brother does. There fore, pee
i nlari!y, she IS not injured b.
>, broken engagement, and the {.
. undertakes 10 indemnify wo1na
10 not for her injured feelings, but f
q the substantial, material less wh>
is q good catch gets away from he
is The suit for breach Of promise is ;
~ anachronism. Philadelphia Recor
u Mark This Man.
~