The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-10-28
The Divorce Reform League.


An interesting report on the work of
the National Divorce Reform League
has just been published by its indefati-
gable corresponding secretary, Rev.
Samuel w. Dixie of Royalton. The
object of the league, as set forth in its
constitution, is to promote an i'm
provementin public sentiment and legis-
lation ON the institution of the family,
especially as affected by existing evils
relating to marriage and divorce. 1t
may cooperate with auxiliary or other
bodies having similar aims in such ways
as may be deemed expedient." Many
facts of general interest are given in
the report. The loosest of marriage
and divorce laws disgrace the statutes
of many of our states. There are we'll
authenticated reports of practice
among the lowest classes in some of
our large manufacturing towns of vol
untary separation and re-marriage to
other parties in utter defiance of all law
The last report of =" the minister-at-large
in the city of Lowell, Mass, states that out
of the four hundred forty-six families aided
by that society the last year fifty-six were
those of deserted wives. " In the year pre-
vious sixty-six assertions are reported in four
hundred twenty cases. This is about the usual
average from year to year" says the report.
Many of these men marry again with
out divorce, and many live with other
women without marriage. In some country
districts the utmost vigilance on the part of
the agents of the pension Office is required
to prevent fraud under the law which for
bids pensions in case of re-marriage. And
the lack of vigorous public sentiment often
leads to illicit unions in back country towns.
The work so far accomplished by the
league is thus noted:
Connecticut repealed its notorious " omni-
bus clause, with a marked falling off in
the number of divorces. Massachusetts,
has made all divorces nisi, or conditional,
for six months, forbade the re-marrage of
the guilty party for two years, and pro-
vided for the systematic collection and re-
port of divorce statistics. Maine practi-
cally abolished its old law, by which most
divorces were granted under a single ex-
ceedingly loose clause giving general dis
cretion to the courts, and has substituted
for it the several determinate clauses of
Massachusetts,, adding regulations concern
ing the re-marriage of both parties. Di-
vorces under the new law, enacted March
13, 1888, have been less than half what they
1 IL.
rule recommended by the American Bar
Association, regulating domicile, and made
the collection of statistics an official duty,
and a restrictive measure passed its senate
in July, 1885, but failed in the house.
Vermont first put restrictions on the re-
marriage of the libellee, and modified the
law of residence, causing decrease in the
divorces of the last five years of fourteen
per cent from the number for the five years
previous. Recently other, and probably
still more effective, legislation has been oh
tanned. BY this latter all applications
must now be filed at the term of court pre-
ceding their actual hearing, ensuring de
lay of six months and making fraud more
difficult; and the court is required to com
pei the attendance of the defendant in per
son, unless this is proven to be impractica
BILE. In Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and
,, Ohio the governors have repeatedly called
attention to the need of reform, and some
thing will probably be done at an early
I day. The latter state has organized STATE
divorce reform league, Pennsylvania
: has greatly improved her marriage laws, {
. work which, it is hoped, other states will
take up. Philadelphia and Chicago have
> better rules of procedure in their courts
9 Divorces in Chicago are considerably less