The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-01-12
Divorce Menaoes the Nation.
IRON sasN Herald.


piv0roe i fast becoming a serious mat
Der to the American people !, IS apidly
assuming q tendency which threatens the
institution Of marriage itseli
The general public li'tls suspects the
extent Of the evil, little dreams q the vass
I and steadily increasing namler Of divorces
granted by the courts throughout the
couutry Divorce cases are common enough
F in the papers. But not one in thousand
( Is reported 10 every State, in every city
divorce mills arc quietly ba, effectively at
work undermining the very foundation Of
our so.ial fabric Many of the suits ara
eollusive or fraudulent. few of them are
justified
The evil easily aourishes aRder our many
diverse and conflicting marital laws Il
must eoutinue 20 flourish, and even to grow
worse, until oDe uniform system Of marriage
aud divorce takes The place Of the iFty
different systems now tolerated.
I That the law governing marriage should
+ be the same for one country and one peo-
pie goes without saying, What do ne
iindg In South Carolina the marriage tie
y kbAkeS0slhtt. AAI NWhkte " WV A"sA
can dissolve il for one reason only, 10
many States the grounds for divorce are 50
numerous, aud some Of them 50 'rivial,
that the legal obligations Of husband or
a wife may be thrown of at will.
The strength Of chain is Its weakest
link Easy divorce in one State Is easy
divorce for all The divorce courts of
each State are open TO dissatisfied husbands
and wives of every other State. OF course,
the complainant Is expected 10 show legal
residence But ia mos; States legal resi-
dence may be acquired in year. ln
California, Nevada and Nebraska a six
months sojourn is enough. Once domi-
ciled there, the complaining party may sue
for divorce while the ether remains far
away II is no, necessary to notify the
defendant personally. Summons by pub
lieation in an obscure paper IS sufficient.
4 wife may be divorced without know
ing it, and for no wrong on her part DO
YOU doubt it? Here Is an actual case \
man induced his wife to 20 to Europe
representing thati; would be more eeonom-
ical for her 20 live there, aud that the
advantages for educating their daughter
would be greater. After she had gone he
applied for divorce and obtained it with
out her knowledge or consent, and even
, while they were in correspondence as hus.
band aud wife He then married another
, woman.
Such laws make marriage mere mat
J ter of convenience The parties are not
; bound for life, but during mutual pleasure
/ Either may sever the relation at will A
condition of affairs that makes the most
sacred of ties simple partnership, to be
dissolved on notice; that demoralizes domes.
tic life, that wrongs innocent childhood
5 is more than disgrace to our civilization
) 1t is a menace to our national welfare, Q
danger to our institutions.
The only remedy is uniform law Of
marriage and divorce. Under such a Law
the grave and growing evils Of to-day
= could not exist To secure it an amend
ment of the federal constitution empower
r ing Congress to deal with the subject is
/ necessary. 1t is not easy to carry through
? an amendment of the federal constitution
. but it is not impossible. In matter oi
such vital and far reaching importance il
is imperative to make the effort with &
) determination to achieve success.