Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-11-07

OHIO DIVORCE REF0Rn LEAGUE.

address n circular 10 citizens of Ohio especially
10 ministers and lay members OF churches, stat.
TO invite their cooperation in the work Of re-
form also, that he be instructed to lny the same
subject before the ecclesiastical organizations and
nsk that they take action regarding It,"
In behalf Of the League we respectfully |
present the following matter for your CON
sideration
FAoTs-New England granted 2,113
divorces in 1873. Connecticut, IN 1S49,
granted l divorce to every 80 marriages.
BY 1878 this r,lio hnd so increased tina II
was divorce to 10 marriages for period
Of fifteen years. Rhode Island, Maine NJ d
New IIanipshire gave ratio Of l TO 10 in
1873. Chicago, Louisville and "a counties
of Michigan furnish ratio OF TO 13. In
two leading counties Of Minnesota divorces
are increasing so per cent. faster than mar
riages. In ST. Louis there are 200 divorces
annually, and in Philadelphia the number
rose from 10l in ls62to All in 1882. In
90 counties of California the ratio Is about
Statistics for States other than our
own are difficult OF access, but the forego.
ing will indicate the drift OF the country.
Competent authority states that the ratio
of divorces TO marriages has doubled with
In the last 80 years, while the present in
crease is even greater.
Ohio granted S73 divorces in
1865, and 1866 in 1888. This is
an increase of 233 per cent. in 10 years
The population increase but 80 yer cent.
aud the number OF marriages 30 per cent,
during the same period. The ratio in the
former year was to %; in the latter II
wns l to 16. In 1888 Ash,abnln county
gave ratio ui to a, and OF petition for
divorce to about every 2 marriages. In
counties in the northern part OF the State
the ratio of divorce 20 marriage il, omit
ting declmals, TO 8. III counties, mostly
in the north and west, ii is to Z. In AZ
counties scattered throughout the State, the
fewest being in the southeast, it is ! to 10.
The evil increases every day. II Is con-
fined TO no one locality and TO no one pop.
ulation Among the worst counties are
Ashtabnla, Jefferson, Dnrke and Lucas.
The best re found in all parts of the State
and are often bounded hy the worst.
EyIIs oF DIVORCE Humane and
moral progress have been coincident with
th. sacredness of the marriage bonI." The
family il the foundation ot civilized socle-
~, Easy divorce destroys the family. AL
lowing the low average OF one child to every
couple divorced, the breaking mp by vio-
Iepce of %, ,O75 families. which is.the NUM-.
her of divorces since 1865, has cast 10000
people upon the society of the State who
are controlled by the belief that the mar
rage tie is temporary convenience, and
that when it becomes q restraint ii can he
easily discarded. There is but step from
this to "spon,aneous divorce" and bn,
another from that to promscuity. In some
parts OF the country the frs, step has a.
ready been taken, the poor apparently
believing that they should not be required
to incur the expense of appealing to th'
law for what a private arrangement will
effect.
CAUSES OF DIvoRcE.-The general caus
is the evil Of the human heart. Secondar.
casues are such pecnliarities Of nation an,
age, ys habilual anxiety, irritability AM
: dislike of restraint which makes home
unhappy; the love OF excitement and tn
class emulation which lead the poor I
the growing independence OF the sexes an
the low idea of marriage now prevalen
! These causes are greatly assisted by Il,
, ignorance of society upon the subject {
! divorce by the fact that the churches hav
u very generally suffered the Scripture Law
regarding IL to fall into disuse by Il
loose procedure OF the courts; hy la
l. which permits divorces Tor ten dfferel
y causes, which admits of CT parte tri 'ls, NJ
. invites collusion and various other fraud
= and finally, by the entire impunity wi
W winch q man or woman can neglect his
" her family. The interests which ought
~ y. be consulted at every divorce trial ar
- that of society TO the preservation of mo
:, ality, that of children to parental contr
- and guidance, and that of the individn
:, to protection in the pursuit of happinei
;. The last is the only one at present consul
:. 'e ed The "assisting causes" are within 4
y reach Of reform. and as it il through the
that abuses creep in, they are the ones '
y desire especially TO remove. How can
- ! do so?
|. MEANS OF REFoRM-The work must
~ carried on by an organization OF persons "
- appreciate The peril in which society stnn'
~ The people must be educated as to the e
- tent and evils of divorce. The church
~ must he enlisted in the work of refor
% The laws of the State and the procedure
'. the courts must he remedied. In 1888 b
~ Is per cent. OF the divorces were grant
" for adultery, while 62 per cent. were for
kindred causes OF absence and neglect al
., cruelty. 1t il by the aid of these last cau'
u that most of the unrighteous divorces a
oblsined, and il their range can be limit
the evils will be greatly reduced. The +
DT | ,,,tItv .t,nnlI ha In
~ hidden at least for n time, and the q
l. distinction between absolute divorce NJ
legal separation, which the Stale recog'
y zet in the early part OF the century shou
~ be reinstated.
10 The WoRK.-May we not ask your cal
e reply regarding the following plans
" assisting our work:
~ /. That you will Use your influence
;. have this subject brought before I
~ church of which you are member, ut
: next annual assembly.
4 2. That, should you be minister, y
!" y, will present the subject to your congreg
: lion from the pulpit.
= g. That you will become member
- the Leagne which you can do by sendi
N your name TO the Secretary.
y 4. That you will assist the League tina
- cially and that you will ask a few frien
", to join you in 80 doing; and that II y
nf are minister yon will, il possible, sec
- place for il in the contributions OF yo
a congregation.
- The League is made up OF gentlemen
: all denominations, and desires to mite
= classes in the prosecution OF its work.
success depends upon the support
. receives.
a Contributions should be sent to Cha
~ LES PARRoTT, Esq, Treasurer, Coiumb
!. Ohio. All other communications sho,
;, be sent 10 Rey. PAUL STERLING, Seerr ta
~ Newark, Ohio.
REFERESoEs.-"Div and DivOI
30 Legi-latiom," byEx-Presldent W0olse
w. ", Scribner Articles in the Century for ia
~, uary, 1882, IN the North american Rer
~ for June, 1880 and April, 1884, in the A
10 Engiander Tor NJ rch, 1882, and Janna
j., 1854, in the Journal Of Social Science
ID November, 1881, aud several nnmbers
wv tI,a D.,,.eIo,, Rs,,s,, far l221-A The (l