The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1914. THE MARRIAGE SYSTEM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 297, 19 May 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1914. THE MARRIAGE SYSTEM.

In tjheae days, an*l for many centuries past, it ha# been customary among civilised communities to regard marriage 13 1 an institution which is absolutely essen- | tial to tho well being of eo-ciety—high and low alike. By some it is held a sacred rite lasting for all time and eternity, while others regard it a» a contract made for a special purpose and only dissolvable by law under certain circumstances reflecting on ono of tho two parties to the bargain. The dominating principle that has asserted itself in marriage throughout all ages and amongst all peoples is that of oppression. Few people trouble themselves to inquire into the ethics or evolution of !tho marriage system, but "A Short History of Marriage," by Ethel Urlin, throws a number of lights and gives much information on the matter. Probably no one in the present day will evince any interest in the Bystem of commercial marriage which i 3 said to have been the earliest form of married life, 'but it may surprise a few to know that individual maristge had its origin in the barbaric days when one tribo captured the women of another tribe in warfare, the captors each regarding his conquest as his own property. This may in some measure account for the preference which some women exhibit for brave men, or, as it is sometimes called, hero worship. The custom still exists in some parts of the world, and the underlying principle appears in many of the rites attendant on weddings of this )day. Tho Druses and Kalmucks pursue their brides on horseback; in the Malacca Peninsula tho bride challenges the bridegroom to a canoe race; among the Syrian Christians the bride must feign rehictanco and must be brought into her husband's home by force; in Abyssinia tho bridegroom rushes 'through the streets carrying his bride in his arms; among the Nordians, when the bridegroom leaves the home, the beat man marches round it thrise armed with a sword or scythe, calling down curses on all ill wish era; in Dutham guns ara fired over tho heads of the bridal party; in Manchuria crackeri are let off to frighten evil spirits away, aiud in many other places similar tactics are adopted to frustrate the evil intentions of enemies. Kven the throwing

of rice conveys three meanings—propitiation of evil spirits, the procuring of fertility, and the inducement for the bridegroom's soul to stay and not cgcape. Tlio throwing of confetti is too modern to lxave any significance beyond the expression of a life of pleasure. All these customs and many others saror of hostility anil incidentally elcvato the bride to the position of a prize that has been won and must bo guarded from harm. What then is and has been wo-

man's position a3 a. wife? In primitive times life was too hard to admit of anything but a division of labor and mutual goodwill as against enemies. To-day, tho position is practically the same, at least in spirit—the wifo is the helpmeet for better or for worse. 'Possession and obedience apparently were the outeome of the brutal war system of bygone days, but the theory still holds gtod. It is only those who know the blessing of a truly happy marriage that can realise what the uniting of two loving hearts can mean. Possession and obedienco are exemplified in their loftiest sense. We hear talk of the marriage market, civil contracts, and divorco to such an extent that one would be prone to doubt whether marriage was merely a Stock Exchange transaction or not, but one glimpse of a true union l>as.;d on pure love and mutual trust and forbearance dispels the gloom of the shady contracts and makes one thankful that though there are ill-assorted marriages which fail to endure, yet it is to-day as of old, "The bravo deserve the Fair," and there is no greater exhibition of bravery than that of a peaceful warrior who, having won his wife in love or lvar, sliields and protects her as his greatest prize.