Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-23
THE DIVORCE EXPERIMENT
FRANCE.

For slXty-elght years IN France marriage
has been indissoluble. Now the divorce ex-
pertinent of the revolution is TO be tried
again but on a broader plan. A question
to be determined now is, will there be more
marriages because Of the possibility of di-
vorce. or fewer marriages because the sa-
crcdncsS of the relation has been assailed?
The Journal DIES Economists holds that mar
rage will be stimulated, but adds the pro-
viso, if the most of the silly and tiresome
fOrmaltics precedent TO the final tying Of
the knot can be swept away. We are not
inclined to concur in the conclusion of that
journal. In this country, it is true, we
have never tried The experiment of holding
the marriage indissoluble, or of hamper
ing ii with formalities, but experience with
liberal divorce laws in America does teach
that they diminish the regard for marriage
and lessen tbs sanctity with which it should
be regarded. II is not SO much question
rs to whether easy divorce will multiply
marriages. If marriage is entered into be-
cause, in case the relation proves unpleas-
ant, it may be easily dissolved, then mar
and prostitution, and divorce thin mask
To 4 sort Of polygany. Many marriages
ard many divorces are not preferable to
few marriages and few divorces. In the
latter case marriage will be entered into
with greater caution and forethought, while
in the former the stimulant applied will be
the vicious influence of passion, youthful
folly and Of rccklessness. Colonel Tcheng-
ki-Tong, Of the Chinese legation at Paris.
has been telling the barbarian" Gauls,
III response to many inquiries, that di-
vorce in China seldom occurs, and de-
clares boldly that there the wife is held
in higher regard than in France. since
the family life is the world of the Chi
ncse married woman. He is frank enough
to admit that legalized concubinage in
China i the safeguard of the indissolubili-
ty of marriage, and advises the French that
mistrcsses are better for the nation than
liberal divorces. Notwithstanding that the
children of illegitimacy in France are OBJ
jccts Of shame, while in China those of
bear no social brand This is
discussing the divorce question close to the
quick, and the outspoken Chinaman has
brought, III consequence, a swarm of sting
ing critics about his ears But it must be
borne in mind that France has guarded
with grave severity, and surround
cd il by all the panoply of rigid laws, and
now by quite unanimous desire of the peo-
pie relaXes her rigOr, and is to permit d-
vorceS for a great number of causes, which
in some respects are more liberal than any
Of the codes of any of the American States.
We mast conclude that whole people are
not thus Of one mind except from solemn
conviction of right. Naquet, the champion
of the measure in the Senate, has held
steadily that it is in the interests of pure
Annually in France 5000
g separatcd" couples have been cast upon
society by the Courts. and in the most cases
all of the 1900 persons, as result, lead
irregular lives 1t is therefore for hegood
Of the wife that she be granted bill of
enforcement with freedom to marry again,
instead of separation, and single misery
or ruin. When he was told that the wife
would find it difficult TO marry again,
Nauqet wittily produced proofs 10 show
that divorced women marry more easily
than young girls, and this has set the
maidens Of France into an agitation of
rage. As to children, there can be no
question THAI they will be better off with
divorced than with separated parents. For
desertion, cruelty, crime and
adultery Americans will always hold that
there should be divorces granted, and they
Will probably never recedc from that policy.
Nor should they; but the ease Of fraudulent
divorce, the incongruity of the divorce
laws of the several States. the need for uni
formity in marriage and divorce statutes.
the necessity for laws commanding the
in one State of the marriage
and divorce laws Of another; these and
subjects are matters that demand
reform Of 4 radical character, that sooner
or later must be effected. In the mean
time students Of social science viii watch
the French experiment with profound in