THE KAISER AND MATRIMONY.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 119, 15 November 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE KAISER AND MATRIMONY.

When should a man marry? The ambitious young person with an income of 30s a week has been propounding Ibis enquiry to the puzzle of editors of our leading dailies for years. He is enjoined not to be deceived with that fatuous mental arithmetic which teaches that what is enough for one is sufficient for two. He receives the impression from newspapers that he should have more than £2 a week, and the young woman of his choice thinks £2 is too conservative, and he is advised that she cannot be worthy of such unselfish devotion as ins, and if she were truly womanly she would make the amount buy as many automobile coats as possible. In view of the perplexed state of the public mind on this all-important theme, the recent edict of the German Kaiser comes with authoritative force. It sets marks and boundaries, establishes incomes, social station, and even limits previous conditions of alimony. The Emperor has promulgated an order to the effect that no officer may marry unless he receives a salary of £225 a year and is in the pnjoyment of an, income of £75 more. That "is to say, if he and his future wife between them can muster £300, the wedding march may be sounded. The hopes of the £3 young man are cruelly dashed, for officers who get no more than £150 a year are forbidden to even consider tne matrimonial contract. Carping critics may say that the whole matter might be . simplified by giving every officer in His Majesty's service at least £300. This would give the business of marrying off the German army to that irresponsible little deity who goes about with gauze wings and shoots amorous shafts with reckless profusion. [ Cupid is not trusted in Germany, and there is a growing lack of confidence in mm here. The United Slates has an unwritten code with regard' to the finance of matrimony. A young lieutenant 'in her army' or navy spends his salary for uniforms and extra allowances for \llle mess. When he married he must 'of necessity have a private income, or he must find the daughter' of a magnate or something or" other who is willing to share) his lot and his glory until a kind government inefceases his rank. Sometimfes the larger pay does not come until he is beyond the pale 'of forty. * None suffers so keenly the restrictions which finance has imposed upon the married state as the 1 young mi]lio7iaire. Under present conditions even the junior members of -wealthy families must have a house in town, a country 'place in West-* Chester, and a villa at' Newport. To accomplish all this tlie would-be benedict is obliged to resort to the most desperate expedients. His great-grandfather is compelled on his account to invest in real e&lale and to work from morning until night in dingy offices. IJis grandfather must also toil, and his father, bj r keeping pretty steadily at the treadmill, may fulfil oil ,the conditions to the successful lranchiug of the matrimonial cr>ft of the descendant. Kalionol legislation, on this subject mSght be beneficial*. The German Emperor ln>s,gone so far as to say thaH; the xi>eci Orations must tell whather the bride is lo be a spinster, widow, or divorcee, and that the social and moral status fit her father must, bo succinctly stated. Mome of these provisions if applied lo American society would lead to bewildering and perhaps unnecessary tious. ' The bride, too, according to the wisdom of Ilia head of the Teutons, must file an inventory of her origin, education, and reputation. These details are hardly in consonance with our institutions, yet there are certain classification* of aspiring fiances which could be made to advantage. They might be established t on something like ■this basis : Bachelors who think the income of one is enough' for two, £'1000. Bachelors who know the young iwo'men ara in love with them, and who themselves are willing to go "without clubs, cigars, and valets, whatever they o mtiy happen to have. .Bank 'cashiers whose fiaiicees have extravagant tastes, £10,000 a year. > Millionaires, £20,000 a year and unlimited credit. ' / With the aid of some of these Old World ideas propounded by Wilhelm 11. salutary reforms 'may be instituted here in the taking of matrimonial obligations. — Harper's Weekly. > "