New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-07

THE ALARMING INCREASE ~ DIIORCES.
The facts and figures given in other columns
to-day as TO the increase Ia the number OF
divorces IN this State, the way in which the
present sy stem is abused and the extremely
unsatisfactory condition Of the divorce laws
of New York and other States, will be startling
even to members of the legal profession, unless
they have given exhaustive study to the mat
ter. Tc the people at large, wholly unfamiliar
with the dcplorable state of affairs thus dis
closed, these revelations will come with the
force of positive shock. No one can be
more emphatic and earnest in dcnouncing
the evils which have become so grave
than the Justices of the Supreme Court, who
are forced 10 declare and administer The law
as 1t exists The valuable and important state
ment Of Chief.Justice Davis will be read with
profound interest, not only in this city and
State, but in other parts of the county, for
this question Of the laxity and defects Of the
marriage and divorce laws touches directly
and sharply the most vital interests of every
community. When the Chief-Justicc declares
that "thc want of uniformity IN the divorce
Claws of the several States is serious and
growing evil, disgraceiul to the civilization
" and intelligence of our country and sadly in
curious to its morality his words will find
an echo in the heart Of every man and
woman who feels that the wcll-bcing of
the people must always and everywhere
have it, foundation in morality. The frauds
and outragos Of the rascals who advertise their
business of making divorce easy" and the
practices Of those private detectives who do
the dirty work Of procuring the sO-caled ev-
I . l.. Il. H.. ..
all orr chief cities 1t is tho duty of our leg
islatues to take measures which will suppress
these two classes Of social parasites. Members
Of the bench and bar everywhere, and all in
teIIigent citizens who have observed the wide
spread mischief caused by these pests will
certainly agree as to the urgent necessity OF Il
reform of that sort. As to other remedies for
existing and increasing evils there is much
difference of opinion, as is Indicated by the
interviews printed elsewhere.
| The question whether the present method Of
sending divorce cases to referees is better III the
pubic interest than il would be TO near the cases
! in omen courts is a debatable point. The Prcsi-
| dent of the Bar Association believes chat moe
! injury than benefit woulj result from the
! change. On the other hand, one of the fore
most of our Supreme Court Justices holds that
! it would be advantageous, as people would be
much slower to seek divorces if they knew
| their affairs were to be made public. But,
| whatever may be the better course to pursue
AZ to private or public hearings, judges and
! lawyers uMte In saying that to secure any real
! gain for morality and good order and check
the divorce denominations now rampant, the
confusion and contradiction between the laws
of the various States mus be abated. And
/ Ncw-York ought to take the inlta-
| tive. The fact that person against
whom decree of divorce has been
obtained here, and who is forbidden by
the law of New-York to marry again by merely
crossing the ferry and having the marriage
ceremony performed in jersey City, can escape
all the penalties of the New York law, though
he returns here Immediately and passes the
rest of his life here, is scandaOus and even
monslrous. What justice, what consistency,
what sense is there in such condition Of
things This is simply temptation to the
vicious. If man gets tired of his wife, and
is not restrained by any moral scruples or any
! feeling of dccency-and the extracts from the
court records which we prut to-day show that
! the number of such persons is intentionally
! large-he promptly gives ground for divorce,
! is speedily released from the tie which has
| become iTksOme to him, crosses over to New
! Jersey or Connecticut with more
cOngenia companion, and returns married
man, 70 i,or at the New York law
which ma is act felony if committed in
this STATE, but nevertheless recognizes as