New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-09

rnhere of woman has woDdeil"iu ~.
~. ,,.rr,.re relation: within IL hardly a. all fer
no .,,hors on The Family" approach stil nearer
49, .n when they ssy Furthermore, the expansion
a. Iomans duties has not kept pace WIN inc eAPa"'
sion Of her rights and privileges" IN ehe"., hor
rsnonsfbrtes have been diminished, her secufV IN
creased at the same time that new tomptAuois urge
her outside the family for the chief interests OF her
,,,o ana every educational influence TO which she 10
snhisc,sd tends % make her think lightly OF hef
obligations ard with exsggeHtnn OF her rght'' m
doubtedy ono explanation Of excess OF divorces soueht
by women Is to be found IN the general and incesaSs
effect OF social influences which unht women ioi laun
duties The aunwIuingness on the part OF tile WHO
to assume her share Of the mutual duties ana bnruen
~ married e- and her discomfort and unrevionaoe
exaetlonss are fruitful causes OF those qHarreh winch
lead TO the divorce court. .
Tn. question whether adequate remedies can DC
found Is not easily TO be answered 10 iE % "o
statutory part Of the problem concerned even tnoro
are serious difficulties in tho way ihe Sa'hor' u
The Family think that constitutional Atiehunieh.
rsegat,nr All leotslstiou concerning marriage ana
divorce 10 Congress would settle this question but
Mr. SNYDER in The Geography OF MarHaso tio'"
shows that such an amendment 10 'ne 'ou'""'o.
would DO both difficult 10 obtain ana dangerous u
nrocurd 1Ie IS undoubtedly right In asserting that
the mower which Il Is proposed to confer upon CON
Uress would seriously trench upon the necessary rights
Of the states. inasmuch as the "hoo
complicated subject OF inheritance "ouo
follow marriage and divorce legislation All"
the Federal interference with social aHs'fS
would at once bs 50 increased TO raise grave issues
Whether the enactment OF q National marriage ana
divorce law could be hedged 10 obviae these oo-
iectIons Is a question which requires very careiui
and deliberate consideration. As TO the need OF
legislative remedy an adjustment Of the conflict OF
laws which now exists there can be no controversy
The situation Is National shame ana scandal ana u
is equally clear that long as II remains unaered
-f,,iI, tand
which inseparable from loose and discordan' al
vorce laws whether not they represent popular ten
denotes toward lower plane Of social ethics. IL 49,
however well 10 avoid panic fears In regard IN le
whole subject, and some remarks Of the authors Of
The Family on this point are 50 sound that they
deserve to be quoted
That the evn has already become 30 serious tina,
Il demands a remedy most calm students Of social
problems are agreed. Yet. on tho oIhcr MANI ~
future effects Of divorce are likely to be realized
Serious the question Is and raught az u WIN peril
10 the highest interests Of society the eNh must
strike far deeper into our life than has yet struck be-
fore social anarchy Will result II thus far seems n
be rather an excrrscence than deep.seato1 dlsea;e
Happily the dignity and purity OF the marriage rcIa'
ton have enlisted upon their sio The nobleSt instincts
and emotions Of wl;ch human nature ,: is capable
give are sure ultimately 10 do far moro than restore
marriage % It's pristine ssnciy.
That Is a sane hope and expec tauon; yet II there
Is today no ground for gloomy anucipatI1ns assur
need for energetic reform measures Nor Is II sano
10 depend wholly uron what the Law do. When
tad laws taken advantage Of, the fart must be
recognized that there exists certain social tendency
which Is IN line with them. The moral aspects OF
the lncrrsse Of divorces ara ssriouL Tho tact
Of the increase proves that from causes
unVholcsome and AbnormGl conditions not dmin.
lshng To ASccr'Ia thes' causes Is therefore prime
necessity Aad hcy may be sought conadently among
the influences which Al present eniArFnE ths Gnn
rral appreciation OF Individual rights the expense
Of The general recognition % indy dual duties.
1besg influences besin 10 operate IN the nursery.
Ng>t~~u Children too often brought up In ways
VhEh make them selfish despite OF themselves. A.
/ 81 age Whrn tho moral sense IL wholly intsnt and
undevrlopod they arc often taught TO think only
Of ihemselvcs and Tho tendencies thus cultivated
soon dominate their Characters Want OF mofeSty AMI
'eltsuppresion, lack Of reverence for their elders.
cOnceit, egntsm. dscOurtesy too commonly mark such
| children. and uSke them nuhAnces TO others and
standing lBipsAokRcnis Of tIer parents judgment
and SSnsr. n would 10 unreasonable to ~ pect that
! boys and girls who have never known discipline or
\ moral training should grow mp 10 De useful ami
| worthy members Of society. Naturally they do not
do so. They are poevsh sShSb, impatient 81 crosse'
| lutolorant, tncondderste, men and women. They
| do know how 20 bear and forbear, yet without
| that knowledge Il Is impossible that marriage b"
happy or even to!orable No doubt the vain amttlon
20 DO thought better OF than they are the frivolous
| desire Dor social consideration. AgEraVAte hm'
pcramenal and educational defects, and rrtip tn's
domestic collisions and Iupiurss. In marriages So
easily wrecked II may he tAkrn for sntrd that cre
never has been true love; but y ono Of tho worst
results Of the modern methods Of bringing up Children
| that they tend render any love but that Of sell
impO.s iblc, and 80 fatally lower The charao There
can lie no real love without the capacity and desire
| for SET Nbnsgation, and where that capariy has moi
beer cultivated and developed by high and wholesom'
moral discipline It IL very unlikely TO spring up It's II
| The same vicious methods OF rearing tho yOuh'
are accountable for the decline In the sense OF duty
! which is 10 closely allied 20 the dominant Sclhshncss
When childhood and youth are void of any recosnnoT
| Of the obligations due 10 parents II l. not probah'
that duties owed Others will be- moro hesny realized
| or performed. Tho scheme Of life whose cenira
motive is sclfindugence is in itself warning sgainS
marriage. Isolation IL the only condition IN ~hiol
| the egotst can flourish and expand. whoever look
| 20 marriage for happiness must be prepared 10
sacrifices aud for sclf-suTender and suppression
The uateraIlsm which j. a leading Characteristic o
this period undoubtedly exercises sinister influence
upon society, and tho tendencies which mako 10
Increased divorce not little 10 cause Whic
Is distinctly denorallLng In so many OF iis phases
II not In all Of them. II Is not enough to reform
! the laws and harmonic them. Public opinion an
feeling also stand in need OF purifying and regeneraun
| agencies The works which We have reviewed i
this article indeed may DO considered dcmonstrAin
| the prudence OF a healthy spirit OF reform and
conscientious determination 10 speak the truth !
Season But much more than this Is needed ia,
eatIonal methods and theories IN particular Tequir
revision and amendment. qulckenlng OF IN
national conscience In many directions Is called fo
and most OF all in regard 10 the supreme importance
a. a ufe-motIvo. OF high sense OF duty, and a
eoualy high standard Of attainment In us performance