New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14

ness. dishonesty aEA s,lf.indulgence. Tha
man who seeks divorce as Gilbert Travers
did may be regarded by old-fashioned thinkers
as :" the meanest hound that ever appeared in
human form" but what OF the fact that the
existing state of the law affords opportunity
that is, encouragement--for just such infamies.
and that society, which is fully aware OF ell
that the state of the law renders possible ana
easy, allows it to remain as it isP
II nothing is stronger than its weakest part
and this is an axiom OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. is
the present strength of the institution of marriage
in the United StatesP Let us not forget, either,
that in republic, theoretically at least, the laws
must be the reflection and embodiment of the DOM
inant public opinion. Mr.. Gladstone observes in
his review of Margaret Lees book: "The true
meaning of discussion which calls into question
the ancient and specially Christian constitution
of q family is that it is a vast upthrow in the
world of thought and fact which, if contaminated,
will change in time the whole moral surface
of the earth, and shift In revolutionary sense.
the polarity OF life" And again he says: 1t
seems indsputable that America is the arena in
which many of the problems connected with the
marriage state are in course of being rapidly
painfully and Terilously tried OUT Painfully
and perilously, beyond doubt, and what is worst
the pain and the peril are chiefly forced upon the
weakest and most defenceleSs portion of the com.
munity. But discussion of the marriage question
can never be conducted to any practical end so
long as it is considered apart from its relations
to the life and thought of the PERIOD and this
should be one Of the implications of Margaret
Lees book If divorce has become seemingly
more unavoidable than ever before, it Is not be-
cause men and women are more enlightened, or
because there is in the institution of marriage
any inherent defect which renders it unfit for tho
uses of advancing civilization Ideas Of that
kind merely indicate self.deception. The increased
demand for divorces is primarily due to increasing
unftness for the married state and this increasing
unfitness springs from abnormal development OF
indisciplne selfshncss unfaithfulness to duty and
impotence Of contradiction.
A readiness to infiict pain and wrong upon others
rather than put restraint upon ones self is not an
evidence Of progress but the reverse. Growth in
sefshness implies moral intellectual and spiritual
ietrogression. There is nothing ennoblng in
avoidance of the path Of duty through dislike OF
its difficulties. There is nothing admirable or
encouraging in the subordination Of everything TO
the imperious demand for I" a good time From
such tendencies and lines of conduct nothing can
be expected but weakness sloth cowardice, sem
sualism and dishonor II, moreover, looser divorce
laws required because Of the increasing difficulty
state the feeble moral spirit responsible for this
state of things will incite to constant fresh
| relaxstons of the law Even now it is clear TINT
| the thoroughly INSCRIPTIONS and base can laugh
marriage to scorn can escape from all their
| responsibilities as husbands and fathers with
| equal impunity and facility. So long as the
breach remains open there is danger that it will
| be enlarged, too: for IL the moral judgment OF
| the country is not strong enough 10 miti gate the
worst abuses that men can perpetuate upon
women, there is little ground for hope that the
situation will improve by simply letting it alone.
| Margaret Lees book presents the most odious
and the most moving features Of the case and
| that is wise method, for so best will profitable
discussion be excited. But there is no exaggera-
ton in her story. Everything there described
has happened, and many times, and in many
| places. Also-and herein consists the complete
| justification OF her plan-the infamy Of Gilbert
Travers is possible to all as the law stands and
| where the law shelters and authorizes infamy
it imparts terrible strength to the temptations
with which life abounds. 1t may be said that
| SO long as the law Is what it IS the security.
honor and happiness of every wife and mother
are conditioned upon the immunity Of the head
| Of the family from the influence Of the strongest
passion that moves humanity-that passion before
the onset of which all the elnims Of duty, oil
the promptingS OF honor, all the ties of associa-
| tion, all the restraints Of religion may at any
time 60 down. Well, therefore, may Mr. Glad.
stone aver that the greatest and deepest Of all
human controversies is the marriage controversy.