New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-21
TIE CURE FOR 4 NITIONiL EVIL.

The subject of divorce has come to the front
during the last week with remarkable persist
cucc. The Episcopal Convention laid hold of it,
vigorously dcnouncing it n one of the most
rapidly increasing sins of the age. Ono family
out of every ten in certain States, 1t was al
legged, offered case for the divorce courts The
subject has also been brought forward IN other
religious conventions and discussed vchemently
In denominational journals.
All this argues a healthy condition of feeling
i'm the churches and will no doubt have GER
tain deterrent effect The fact that the Christian
orderly part of community rcprobdtc any
given course of conduct undoubtedly mas the
tendency. mcasurably, TO bring that course OF
conduct into disrepute with the classes that are
neither orderly nor Christian. But the effect is
ouly partial and much less strong than the
churches probably imagine IN the first place,
il l. not A. n rule. the members of any church
who apply for divorces. To forbi3 this mode OF
escape from the dscomforts Of marriage to the
members of their flock Is to shut an already
closed door, and one which they have little de-
sire 10 opcn Neither are divorces common
among our lowest and most dcpravcd classes,
who are apt to adjust their domestic differences
without the aid of the law.
II is in the great mass of wcll-to-do non
church-going so-called fashionable folk,
whether educated or ignorant, that divorces are
most frequent The subject Is one OF those
which, on the surface brings forcible arguments
ON both sides. For the divorce Is not always
the resource Of the liccntious man or woman
who. wcared OF one tic wishes TO form another,
or of shallow trincrs to whom there is no sacred
ness in either marriage or motherhood, though
il usually is demanded by one or the other. But
we all have known cases where weak woman
has tottcred under the weight of helpless chill
dren and n vicious tyrant, until this desperate
resource became the only remedy and one
which no man of common sense and right feel
ing could deny her.
II seems To any outside observer, however,
| that the churches and moralsts arc going 10
work in but purblind way to put an end to this
evil. TO stop divorce by passing resolutions
! or damnatory laws against it Is like dosing n
tvphoid patient with tOnics while the poisonous
drain is bclching forth death underneath his bed
The real evil lies in the false marriages whose
victims seek remedy in divorce and tho mar
! riagcs are false because our young people OF a
| certain class are more greedy for money, position
and show than for genuine love and happiness
This is doubtless, the trtcst OF platitudes, but
| II /. one which Is now left wholly out OF sight
| In too many weddings especially In our cities.
! Divorces, we are told, are less common in the
Sonth than the North. Why Not because the
moral tone of the people there IA purer or their
! Christian faith higher but because in the less
concentrated, palmer, poorer phases of social
! life in that section there is less temptation to
merccnnry marriage. 1t is probably true, rs we
! often hear asserted, that among those who
according to the common phrase married for
! love there are Il large minority OF unhappy pe0-
Dle But usually they bear their unhappiness
| 10 the end. They entered into domestic life
with the sense of a duty to be discharged be-
tween human beings it was not a mere part
nershp Of purses, to be thrown up for the first
within or discomfort
The English press, referring to this alleged
increase of divorce in the United States, ascrbes
it to growth of RIGHTEOUSNESS among us. This
! Is mistake the American is not sensuallst.
But he has the misfortune to be the tenant of IA
country which is exceptionally well fed and
well clothed, and in which all the appliances Of
wealth and luxury count for so much more than
their real value, in giving him place and power,
that he is too apt to sacrifice the essentials of
life in order to gain them. The fact that
when Issachar grew fat he kicked of
all yokes Is thousands of years old.
The young girl is tempted to marry
for money or position, just as the politician is
tempted to sell his honesty, or the clergyman his
opinions, for them. In France the same causes