The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1922-08-24
THE WORLD is RUN BY
MEN WHO HAVE WIVES

A man would have no pleas
ure in discovering all the
beauties of the universe, even
in heaven itself, unless he
had a partner with whom he
might share his ioys.-Cicero.
Bruce Burton in Farm and
Fireside
Last spring | crossed over from
Cleveland to Buffalo on boat.
There were thirty-two brides and
grooms on board, so the purser
told me-thirty-two brand new
wives.
1t was interesting to watch the
attitude of the other passengers.
Some were merely curious; some
were almost rude. But the ma
jority Of the older men and women
looked at those boys and girls IN
way that made one a bit more
proud of belonging % the human
race. Their eyes seemed to be
Good luck to you. You're
bound OIL a long trip, and the
travelling won't be easy all the
way. But both of you will be bet
ter, more successful folks because
you are making the journey to-
gether."
That's the attitude of most old
er folks toward young couples, |
imagine.
Of course, every age has its
diSSsnters. Ed Howe, who Is per-
haps the most interesting citizen
Of Kansas, is one. He once re-
marked that women marry for
love, money, or to get a home. Ii
is not known why men marry.
Sir Francis Bacon, the Ed Howe
of an earlier day, had similar
misgivings. HE that hath wife
and children hath Qiven hostages
to fortune" he said, for they are
impediments to great enterprises,
either eff virtue of mischief"
Likewise Montague, who SAID
that if he were to live over again
he would not marry "even Wisdom
herself"
But the weight of testimony is
against cynics. In spite OF phll0S-
ophic doubts, the world is run by
men who have wives. Its kings
and emporers, its presidents ana
parliaments, its judges, us
doctors, and it's financiers, all are
married. The percentage OF
bachelors in the pages of who's
Who" is very small.
Married men not only live more
successfully, ON the average, than
bachelors-they actually, live
longer. | remember reading, a
very interesting article on this
subject some wears ago, based on
the statistics of certain. insurance
companies.
matter. Married men live more
normally; they get better food and
eat at regular hours they get
more sleep. Most important. OF all,
they are trained and exercised IN
the cultivation of adaptablllty. A
bachelor settles into grooves; he
becomes inflexible, incapable OF
change Any little variation IN ms
routine upsets him, and when, IN
middle life, the tailor who mas
always made his clothes, and the
barber who has always cut his
hair, both die, he is unnerved;
the thought of establishing new
connections is too much for MN,
and he throws up his hands ana
passes out.
1t would be interesting if blog-
raphers could give US more noht
on the actual part which, wives
have played in the success of their
husbands.
To John Marshall's keen, pene-
trating intelligence we owe the
descisions that ade the. Constr
tuition a living, growing lnStlGut-
ion. How much was John Mar
sh"ll indebted to the instincts OF
TIE frail little woman, a lifelong
Invalid, with whom he talked
over all of his affairs?
Gladstone. at his marriage, OF
fered his wife a choice: he would
either tell her everything or moth
inc as she might elect. She chose
to be told everything. To what
degree were the decisions. that
made English history her descls--
ions? How MANY of the great
fortunes of the world have been
due 10 the faith of woman III a
man who started with little faith
in himself, or the quick instinct
of a woman which made her sure
where he was hesitant?
We may never know the answers
to such questions. But we do
know that the old institution OF
marriage shows no evidence of de-
clining popularity. The spring
boats continue to carry their
quota of couples to Niagara Falls.
TIE Ihlrty4tWO young husbands
and wives who were on the boat
with me last spring are settled
old married folks now, and are
urging their young friends to
marry. And the best testimony
to the influence that married men,
In spite of all the jests and cynlc-
ism, continue to play a predoml-
nant part in The worlds affairs.
En- heaven, as we are reliably
informed, there is to be no marry
ing or giving in marriage. Yet l
imagine the men who nave been
bIest with wives will continue to
enjoy the advantage. For the
powe~ of adaptability, the capacl-
ty for meeting new conditions
easily, and entering sympathetic
&llv into 8nother's point of view
will doubtless be an advantage
- ouc11Pnd Iy