The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-07-11

allows eight causes, namely: Adul.
terry. desertioD, intoxication, cruelty,
abusive treatment, neglect to sup
port, imprisonment and impo-
tence. These are all good and
ought 10 be sufficient causes for
divorces in any country, and they
ought not to increase the legal seps-
ratioDs. though they unquestionably
do. DR.. Allen thinks this alarming
increase. however. is due more to the
decay of the old idea of the religious
sanctity of marriage than to any
other cause. Il has come to be re-
regarded as q mere civil contract,
formed for pleasure, social considera.
tons, convenience and the personal
interest OF the parties. There lie
something of q tacit understanding
that it can be readily dissolved, and
without any serious reflection upon
the character of either party, should
the relation become dissgreeable, or
another marriage oHer more attrac-
tons. 1t was not long ago that a
divorced person suffered more or less
disgrace in after life; now it is lot so.
but the condition is, il anything. i'm
proved. While the social position OF
the divorced persons is not reported
by DR.. Allen, it is a fact that most OF
them belong to the wealthier class
the fashionable and sristocratic peo-
pie. There are fewer marriages
among that class than among the
poer, and the proportion OF divorces is
much greater. The poor are not
much troubled with that serious de-
gree of domestic unhsppiness that re-
sults in divorce. When they marry
they understand much OF the burdens
OF the new life. expect its trials and are
prepared to meet them uncomplain-
iDgly. With the upper circles, how
ever, it is not so. Owing to a want
OF training, they have little knowledge
OF the realities of life. Neither the
man nor the woman knows how to
overcome difficulties and make
the best OF unpleasant circumstances
that must arise in every persons
career. Boys and girls lack educa-
ton in the domestic eide of life.
When they are married they find the
state restraint instead OF hGppi-
ness. Tie previous existence has
been given up to thoughtless plea.
sures, and they do not know how to
make of themselves good husbands
and wives, fathers and mothers. Es-
pecially is there a lack of training
for domestic life in the modern edu.
cation OF the girls of the better class.
Parents seem to avoid the idea that
their girls will have the larger share
IN directing and managing the
domestic sfaiIs of households,
that more important feature of
married life. and the one which
in large degree regulates the divorces
statistics. The girl is expected to
marry, but instead Of preparing her
for the duties of that life, the effort
seems to be to teach her the accom-
piishments which make her most
attractive in male eyes as a girl, not
as a woman; she is taught to capture
husband, not how to be a wife.
Where is the rich girls parents who
ever thought of qualifying their
daughter for the duties of Wifehood
and motherhood? and where is the
rich girl who ever dreamed OF pre-.
pairing herself for these things? The
example of home is usually disre-
gsrded, if not despised. by the future
proprietress of e home. II the
training were more in the direction
OF how to make the husbands
home happy than how to catch the
husband, there certainly would be
fewer divorces. Mutual disappoint-
ment is the quite natural consequence
OF marriages between only half
trained boys and girls, and inCom-
patibility of temper" is pretty apt to
be developed as soon as the novelty Of
the state has worn of. OF course
there are other causes for the falling
of of marriages and the increase of
divorces. Among these may be men.
toned the extravaganza of living.
the increasing cost of main
tanning a home, growing dis.
inclination to rear children, and
the demands OF fashion, the sudden
haste of men to get rich, the rush of
business that keeps everybody in
hurry and in q measure destroys the
quiet, easy, peaceful home that was
90 common half century ago, when
divorces we're almost unknown, and
were always looked upon as scandal
Gus. But We hold that the chief
cause OF the increased divorce lis. is
to be found In hslack OF proper edu-
cation and training of boys and girls
to be husbands and wives, and the
teaching OF them to be fashionable
young gentlemen and young ladies,
whose thoughts are not to be turned
in the direction Of their future do.
mestio liyes. 1t is not certain |
that the increased number Of !
divorces implies greater immortality, |
for it is questionable whether it is the
more moral to bind a man and
woman together who are miserable
in each others society, or set them
free to form other, il not happier,
unions. The immortality is more in
marrying people uHsuited to each
other and not fitted for married life,
than in unmarrying them, which