The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-15
BY DOROTHY DIX,


I HERETOFORE in this country
RI matrimony has been run on the
bread, and cheese, and kisses
basis. II has been assumed that love
YVES all that any young couple needed
~ start housekeeping on, and that II
they had plenty of sentiment it didn't
matter whether they had any beeisteaks
and potatoes or not
Also II has been our cheerful and ro-
mantle theory that every youth was
able 10 support a wife better than the
style III which she had been accustomed
to live, and that it bchoovcd him not to
consider such material things as rent
and grocery bills, or even to inquire
whether his lady love possessed for
tune OF her own. or came 10 him mere
" with the clothes on her back
We have been nightly scorniul OF
wha. We considered the sordid manner
in which marriages were conducted
abroad, and have been particularly Sc
we're upon the custom which required
every girl to have a dowry. Thank
Heaven" VIC have piously exclaimed,
we don't have to give ohromos with
OUR girls to get men to marry them y
II is beginning to dawn upon us OF
late, however. that the older civili1a-
'ion has simply worked out the mairi-
monlal problem little farther than We
have and that the dowry system for
girls is tho only logical and just solu
ton oi II. Likewise il is the only so
luton, for II is becoming obvious that
unless the girl of the future can bring
her quota OF money to the matrimonial
firm, there won't be any matrimonial
firm.
There are tens OF thousands OF fine
clean, worthy young men who would
like to marry. and found homes and
families OF their own. Under present
social conditions they cannot make
enough money TO support an establish
ruent BY their lone, uuaided efforts, be
cause il takes wears for man to build
up . business. or a practice in law OF
medicine. Therefore. these men atroph,
their hearts. aud Nrangle their emo.
tions. aud avoid matrimOny. and grow
into cynical and bitter bachelorkood
and the beat and sweetest years of4hcil
lives are wasted, c i
| Rg( ~ could marry II the gfrl
had dowries, and the wife could pa
her part oi the running expenses OF tn
home. In that way she would add /,
the prosperity OF the firm. and strength
en- il financially. instead of being
drain upon its resources that woul'
land il in bankruptcy.
The idea OF q woman helping he
husband with money 10 a shocking on
70 many people. and robs matrimony O
all OF is halo This is = foolish way I,
look a, il. Matr>Aony, .without none
gets It's auro knocked into q cooke,
hat before you can say scat, and tn
only way In which you can preserv
sentiment and cherish loves younI
dream IS by not letting them get hungr,
or shabby.
And, anyway. inssmuch as It /, con
ceded to be 4 wife's first duty to he'll
her husband. why. in heavens name
shouldn't she help him with money. i
that, where he needs help tho most,
Whether we like il or not has 20
nothing TO do with the case. and w.
had as we'll face this fact soon rs lat
that unless the girl Of the future cal
help out on the money question. ther
will be mighty few wedding bells. Tn
working girl must continue after mar
riage at her job and add her salary 4
her husbands. The home keeping Gir
who has no way Of making money, mus
bring her dowry with her to the alta
or else there'll be no weddings.