New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-09
THE "BURNING QUESTION:"
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

THE FAMILY; A HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL sTupY
Ry. The TSs,Ds rAn svo pP Us BOsOn Leo
4 shepard. -
THE GEOGRAPHY OF MARRIAGE; or LEGAL ,LI FER,
PLRXITIEs OF wEDL0CK IN THE UNITED
STATES BY william L. Snyder. l@mo' pp
asa O. Putnsm'' sons.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. BY A. RG ss Va I31 a.
DID. eos. Hand, McNally q Co.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE N TIE ~ NI l.iIJ
no no a ss P Psns n pS%T'! b
MARRIAGE AND DrToEcE ~ yo r. FT'P eS = D.
Tho fact that SO many works. all treating the same
subject ,hough nom different points Of view shoub'
anpear almost simultaneously sufficiently ie'uhcs 10
The prominence Of tho questions Involved ana ihs
gravity ascrihsd 10 them. In the siAhy put a. INC
had Of cur list the authors examine tho family nsthu
ton 60 far a. the historical record permis ara orins
tho,r analysis down the present time, concluding Nl'h
survey Of tho influences operating against The iaN
and the status Of divorce Mr.. snyder IN Inc 'eos'
rsnhy OF Marriage" sets forth the confusion ana ms
chief which result from the conflict OF divorce A"h
IN m, limited states and gives valuable sugge"
-. ,oot,ng 10 remedial action. Marriage and
pivorce' Is q work which was first published ID Eng
land and created Eoms sensation there.
The author rests his arguments mainly upon
the authority OF Scripture ana uIANs
,bepcs some surprising considerations IN
defeuce OF polygamy, which he contends IS not con-
demned either In the Old or the New testament
n. hovever does not v6hture 10 recommend plural
,-tsr.s ,o the Western world and theFe Is a very
anoarnn, breach In the coher,nco Of his argument
che ,,odern sprit in him being obviously TOO sWohB
for the logical requirements OF his main contentious
ue appears not to the danger OF holding w "o
ptb,e At one point and rejecting It at anothefi Of
d..Iaanc tia, marriage as Christian institution
rss,s wholly on Scripture, and IN the next Ore@'h
| asserting that the marriage laws OF the feh'a'onch
-.,. Intended for tho Jews alone He argues, now
| eyer with moderation, learning and carncs'hess'
| Tho two volumes on Marriage and divorce Oy
| Ncssrs Convers and Franklin cover subs'ahilauS
similar eroupd, though the former treats prlhc'psS
OF the canonicAl law and positions respecting
All the authors cited agree in this thai ue Ia"s
-, a.. vs-ouS states OF the Union concerning divorce
| A.. most nschievousIy conflicting: that In many
c.sss they are far too loosely drawn that ne number
| and prupor;ion OF divorces have for seNerA years
hem steadily Increasing. As TO thS lAStmeHuonoN
fact tbs proof Is conclusive. The hgurcs arc '~Ao"
from the special Report the Statistics OF Mar'as'
and Divorce made to Congress IN feoFuS Sy- y. :.
| current year by Carroll ID. Wright, Commissioner o.
| .hnr Tbi. report embraces the years 1907 -ieeo
| ,h,, "a IN cav q period Of twenty years Inc hFs
thing 70 DO noted Is that the increase OF oNoI0o'
haS not proceeded pari passu with INC ih''o
| population; It has greatly excceded inc sro""
| oonulation The increase OF divorces IN twenty Yea"
b.s heen 15s por cent and the increase was creates
|
| oh..rvod "a that about twice many divorces S'
| GRANTED IN women as 20 mon. As Mr ConVeH says
| q Divorce Is tho woman's remedy" But why ID
sof The right answer TO that question "ouiu
the key 10 the whole problem, and would sho" Whon
| and how TO apply the remedies. Inc s'aus""S VI
oftsn curious Thus find that SASS men Wct
divorced because their wives deserted them VIM
| ~ 10 women were deserted by their husbands
| total of 3.s I'D divorces $3.50 were granted
, man and 2iBO7T TO women. Mr.. Convers argue
from thess facts thst divorce reform depends NOR
; | on women than on The laws arc oiA"h
| favor them They chiefly use the courts II Is ON
phatcaily a womsns question"
OF course the most important point to BE- determine
l. -..,hcr tbe increase OF divorces Is effect oil IN
I,,ity Of the law or whether the Axlty OF the la
,s rejection from public opinion which Is becon
ing less tolerent OF tho marriage bond ms q'oe'o
is considered by the authors OF the famlB III
interesting and intelligent manner In the hrs' PiN
thew think that marriage Is following the dFn "ho
| sir Henry Maine has pointed out rs charaeters'
of progressive society, the drift from status 10 oo
,-.s,p The secularzaon Of marriage Is an ineVHso
oa-o.rv ~ INF, change The mas OF the people al
| drtstIne aways from the conception oil marriage
, | a sacrament "In the United states, even amot
, | profctsed Christians, marriage has ceased 10 be
| religious observ snce, and has become an occasion
o,sl As,iyityr-though II Il obvious that the fest'
, and social aspects Of marriage have dominated u
religious for very long pe'Ioh' auu aSS"Iop -.
uercd long antedating the relaxation OF divorce ia"
j pnt the expansion Of woman's rights Is held !
. sponsIbe for much Of the eva complained Of Wom'
; have heard 80 much about their rights that some
q than have lost sight Of their duties 10 her ne
ipdspepdspce woman tends 10 excess and resouo
J. Moreover with greater advantages Of eduehh'
E shs has in many Instances oufstrpped the ma
4 The education Of the average American woman
far AZ II pertains 70 knowiedgo Of books, Is doubt'
, superior DO that of the average man. Especially
" this true in the middle class. class among which
J. rate OF divorce Is by far the highest. Among q
= eisss IN tho older States tho intellectual SUPERIOR
y Of the wife 10 tho husband Is plain even to eaSt
" observer
Bet there Il smother canse Of dlscontent and re
J. ihspsss, Thus far the changes have been onekid
Toe IDEAS resaeilng the rsghs and privileges OF won
q n society hsVs undergone complete ,ransiofma.'
d. No eoTesasDdins change Aaa taken pses Regarding