The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-30
An Evil That Should Be Remedied.

An Evil That Should Be Remedied.
Public sentiment in favor of divorce
law for the whole country is steadily grow
ing stronger. The people in nearly all the
states recognize the fact that the divorce
evil is becoming monstrous one, and that
if it is not speedily checked, incalculable
harm to society will result from it. The
number OF divorces granted throughout the
country during year is appalling, and the
worst OF it is it is increasing much faster
than the population.
Congress alone can legislate for the whole
country. 1t has not. however, authority 70
enact uniform divorces law. Before it
could do that, the federal constitution would
have to be amended, giving it the necessary
power. 1t would be a difficult thing to
secure an amendment Of that kind. Some
Of the states would oppose it because
they object 20 giving up any of their
rights and privileges. Enough Of them,
however, might lie induced to ratify it.
The only way to get them TO do it is TO
start and keep alive an agitation in favor
Of Uniform divorce law. When public
sentiment clearly favors 1t, there will be no
great difficulty in getting the necessary
egisa ion.
South Carolina is the only state which
does not recognize divorce. Her people dc
not seem TO have any need for divorce
law. They are happier without it. II such
a law were to be enacted, however, there is
no doubt that hundreds. and perhaps
thousands, Of Der people would take ad
vantage of it. They would suddenly find
out ttat their marriage relations were not
happy. Domestic troubles that are now
smoothed over and forgotten would become
the fruitful cause of separations. Families
would be broken up, and innocent children
would not only be deprived OF home, but
would to- often be subjected to influences
that would make wrecks If their lives.
1t is safe to say that the divorce laws Of
no two states arc alike. In some it is diff
cult TO get divorce. In others it can be
obtained without trouble, and upon very
slight preteIt. In some Of the states d.
vorced 90. sons are not permitted to marry
again. In otbers there is no such restriction.
Persons prohibited from marrying again by
the laws of tie state in which they obtained
tteir divorces remove to other states and
marry. They are thus respectable mem
bers of society in one state and criminals III
another.
In all the states in which divorce is
permitted the dockets of tho courts
are crowded with divorce cases. The prin-
cipsls in these cases are representatives Of
all classes of society. A few of them, doubt
less, have good reasons for wanting their mat.
rimonicl contracts anpuIled, but the great
majority of them would be better off in
every respect if there was no way in wnich
they could secure severance of the mar
riage relation.
The number of divorces is increasing SO
RAPIDLY that intelligent people WHO
are thinking Of the matter, and who are
concerned about the welfare of society are
alarmed. The marriage relation is the
fouadation of society Without it christian
hones would not be possible, and without
such homes the caristia, religion would
cease to be the power that it is. In proportion
as respect for the married state declines,
the progresi of civilization is retarded
The appeal for uniform divorce law,
therefore, that would limit the causes for
divorce and strip divorce of most of its
evils, is really al appeal for a remedy for
a mslignant sore from which society is
suffering