San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
MARRIAGE IN MEXICO.
To the Editor:


which appears in the San Antonio
Light for February 20. contains the
following statements: Legal marri-
age as it IL known in this country, is
beyond the reach of the poor of Mex
leo. The church is expensive, the law
is also; in fact. either is prohibitive
from the basis of the absolute penury
in which vast numbers of the people
live. And 30 they are forced to dis
pense with the outside forms of mar
riage and work out their lives togeth-
er. on q basis of mutual fidelity with
their friends approval and respect.
The story is common and cur
rent in Mexico Of couples working
through years to save money for
formal celebration when their children
arc grown"
Now, in spite of the open confess
sion of the writer Of the editorial, none
of his statements has any real founda-
ton in fact. Accordingly the state
ments just quoted are simply new
fOrms-the logical outgrowth-of one
of those old popular traditions obtain
ing among us that rest merely on
dreams and fables. or on what we
would now call propaganda" to-wit,
''the immortality prevalent in Latin
American countries.
From the very outset wish to be
fair and charitable enough, not to
suppose or suspect any Interior I'M
worthy motive in the clever and schol-
arly writer of the editorial. l think he
is honest in the way he writes. pre-.
fer to believe he unconsciously fell
victim TO one of those popular tradi-
tions to which reference has already
v,aodo 10 That ynarnlnipnG nr0n1-
ganda which as the common saying
has it, puts things over" or gets
. them across"
At all events. the story OF couples
working through years in Mexico to
save money for a formal celebration
when their children are grown, is
neither common, nor current, for the
simple reason that the formal celebra-
ton takes place at the right time.
namely in the beginning. not at the
end Of the married life. In other
words, the general custom in Mexico
is to get married according to the rites
of the Catholic Church TO which the
greatest part of the population by far
belongs. The marriage is solemnized
in the chuhch before the authorized
priest. and then the newly married
parties betake themselves to the jus.
tice Of the peace, not to get married
indeed, but simply to comply with
legal form or requirement.
That's what commonly happens IN
Mexico. Such is the general rule. To
do otherwise is an exception. And
friends neither approve, nor respect,
the few that perchance. If ! may use
the words of the writer of the edl-
torial, dispense with the outside
forms Of marriage and work OUT
their lives together on basis OF mu
tual fidelity" As a general rule, no.
n decent man, or a decent woman. IN
Mexico would think for a minute OF
working out his or her life on such
basis. By this very fact, such man
and such a woman would become
social outcast-
Let IL be clearely understood, how
ever, that am here speaking only
of the great bulk of the Mexican pop
uIation which is almost entirely Cath
oiic. Anything that / set forth here in
this article has no reference whatever
TO the small percentage of non-Catho-
lies in Mexico, foreigners and other
wise, who, by the way, live in peace
and harmony with their neighbors and
are not in the least molested In the
free exercise of their religious views
and opinions.
Such then being the case. the other
statements, namely, that Illegal mar
rage as it is known in this country.
i, beyond the reach of the poor OF
Mexico": that "the church is ex-
nensiye"; that "the law is also; and
that "either is prohibitive from the
basis of the absolute penury in which
vast numbers of the people live; all
these statements fall to the ground
and vanish into hot air. The fact Is
that marriage in Mexico is not any
more expensive than it is here In the
United States.
Quite naturally, people getting mar
ried there in Mexico, just like people
getting married in the United states
are expected to give certain lee 70
the officer performing the ceremony
But this fee is not, by any means, eA-
brilliant or unreasonable. 1T Is exac:-
ly like the honorariunr we give here TO
any minister of the gospel, priest or
rabbi, or justice of the peace offlciat-
ing on such occasions.
Rnt. there's the rub. If those who
70. married want to add something to
the simple ceremony and wish to have
some extra service or convenience IN
the way of flowers, music, decorations,
long lines of attendants, automobiles,
dances and similar luxuries. of course,
they must pay for them. for the simple
and obvious reason that there is
fixed fprice for everything we get
which we must pay cash down.
Then, fully agree with the writer
of the editorial under discussion,
neon cannot afford TO get married and
at the same time have and enjoy such
extrayagances. But the church has
never encouraged such foolish and I'M
necessary expenditures she rather
frowns on them. especially when those
wishing TO indulge them are people OF
moderate means, or of no means at
all.
Such has been the long experience
Of the writer of this article in Mex
leo while administering to the spirit
nal and temporal needs of poor Mex
leans. In addition to this, this pres
ent writer has scores of friends, both
clerical and lay, who have for many
years lived in the northern part ol
Mexico. in the interior and IN tne
southern portion of our sister repuo-
lie, and their unanimous testimony IS
exactly the same as his. They fuliy
and invariably bear out his state
ments.
Let me venture here, as general
] mt or thought, that / very seriously
question the wisdom of any OF Our
newspapers in publishing without any
legitimate cause or call. any state
ment that may give offense to, or an
ragonize a goodly portion of our fei-