WHY THE MEN DON'T MARRY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7738, 18 April 1896, Page 2

WHY THE MEN DON'T MARRY.

[TO THE EDITOB.]

Sib, —Your two oprrespondents, " Unfortunate Man" and "Benediot" ■ have both ventured on dangerous ground in attempting to state the cause of the decrease in the marriage rate. Both seem to come to the same conclusion, giving the main reason as the laok of employment and the low ebb of wages. There is, however, one point of the question which they overlook, and that is the domestic reason.

Jn these latter days of a later century (or enlightened oentury, whioh ?) man ia altogether an inferior being. He seems to have lost ell ambition as far as home life is concerned. Nothing will satisfy him. He is selfish, discontented, and a growler. His one desire is to smoke hie pipe, go to his club, drink bad liquor, and—well, then retire, Next day he follows the same programme, and so on, throughout his daily routine. Hie intelligence is limited. He may read '' Trilby," George Moore or Zola, to gratify his base tastes, but he dips into nothing deeper. He wants his meals served up regularly; he always possesses a robust appetite, but as to thought of family life, oh, dear, no ! He knows too much for that! "Benedict" makes a baseless charge against the young women that they cannot take life seriously, that they only think of horse-racing and the latest novel, and that ■ they oin't cook a decent meal. Shame on I' you "Benediot" for such thoughts ! The I nineteenth oentury girl can give the same I oentury man big points in everything—she I reads more, studies domestic life, and oan, f as a rule, hold her own on matters that require common sense and reason. The men have beoome lazy.' I'hey are uncomfortable in the society of women; they seem to look upon such society as a " wretohed nuisance, you know," until one may well look with pity on them. And when they d» marry they take a long while coming up to the scratoh—they spend most of tb,eij time away from home.

Girls are bettes o§ by remaining in single blessedness, than to. aspire for such a goal as thig. They are, in nine cases out of ten, taken from bright, happy homes, to a life of anxiety and trouble—anxiety as to whether the ' 'inferior half" will come borne sobe?, and tvoubla in keeping together the weekly wage wherewith to meet the daily household expenditure. Probably your correspondents will say " fudge " to this. So they may, but if they spaak truly, they will admit my assertions. While men remain what they are girls neeel hav.e no qualms about being lef is out in the cold. Better a life under the parental roof than the life of misery to which she binds herself now-a-days i>nder the marriage ties.—l Siiij &C: 5 ■ Jfos a ct ftfE-w Woman."