New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-08
THE WARFARE AGAINST DIVORCE.

So much has been said in recent years about
the depl0rabe status of the laws regarding
marriage and divorce in the various states,
that it is pleasant to be assured that the tide
has turned in this respect. This is the view
taken by a wcll-known legal writer, and ap-
proved in the annual report of the National
Divorce Reform League, which has just been
issued. Largely as a result of the work OF
this League about twenty amendments of the
marriage and divorce laws have been made In
eight or ten different States, and where these
baye undergone any change it has usually been
for the better In two or three States the
number Of divorces has dropped one-thlrd or
more. In others there are for the first time
laws properly regulating marriage. Michigan
has thoroughly revised its marriage laws.
New-Yorl State has defined the persons who
only have authority to perform legal marriages.
whereas heretofore simple consent without the
presence of an official or witnesses was suih-
Gent to make marriage Connecticut has
new law Furnishing with imprisonment man
who deserts or refuses to support his vile. ana
cohabts or lives with another woman In
Arizona a divorce law has been repealed which
The Rev. Samuel w. Dixie. secretary. and also,
we venture to believe. life and soul of the Ma
tional Divorce Reform League, says was the
worst in the country Massachusetts, has tried
10 better some evils in her divorce system by
transferring such cases from the Supreme to
the Superior courts.
There is no doubt that much good has been
accomplished through the efforts OF the
League, and the fact that so much has already
been done with such slender means affords
genuine announcement for hoping that as the
subject grows upon the attention of the public
larger machinery may be provided and CORE
sponding progress made In all this work the
League wisely recognizes the fact that prcven-
ton is better than cure, and devotes large
part Of its efforts not only to securing leglsla-
ton that shall tend to prevent hasty and ILL
considered marriages, but to educational work
directing attention to the melancholy results
often attending such unions, to the sacred
character of the family, etc. The American
habit of getting married first and getting ac-
ouainted afterward is undoubtedly responsible
for large proportion of marital unhappiness.
ANY proper safeguards that will tend to make
marriage more of a deliberate process than 1t
often is now, without throwing about it bar
~iers that would have the effect, as in some
European countries. of making it difficult or
expensive, and so putting premium on I'M
morality. should be welcome.
The League has also pressed the National
Government into the service The admirable
report on immigration issued some months
since by the State Department and specially
supervised by Worthington c. Ford, grew in
part out of a suggestion made by the League
that the standards of family life and general
morality among immigrants as indicated by
marriage customs in the country of thcr
origin. had an important bearing upon this
question. The foreign population is rcspon-
sible for large proportion Of our unsayory
record in this matter, as in some graver ones
The collection OF divorce statistics under Com
missioner Wright is also result OF The
Leagues efforts. But it is worthy of note that
tho League seems to dcprccate anything ike
National legislation until we have far more
light on the subject than at present