The morning news., 1889-04-10
DIVORCE LAWS.
Nm WOMEN'S VIEWS ON
~ TENED DANGERS.

,.r, Law Greatly Needed-The
nl' ~ the System Clearly Set
r+s and the Kennedy Pointed our
y. a-s from Senator sherman
.ar Carlisle and Others.
copyright, 1881
YORK, April eff all the divorced
.ha intel States were formed into
t,ov would outnumber the stand
NV Of any European power. And If
,15 ,.,.cas of both sexes were placed by
i, Iras ,y they would comfortably popu-
tarritory larger than any eastern
1r,tl recently 20 attempt has been
=, collect the statistics of marriage
,:'.,rca in this country. But during
tvo wears, government statisticians,
va direction of Labor Commissioner
=. have BEEN at work collecting and
IL, ,,,g data relating to the subject, and
19.t so siol OF cong ress their report
made In only one state is divorce
i6itei In all Others at least one cause
annlment of the marriage tie is recog-
and in some states there are six.
.nd even nine causes sufficient for the
o. ~ a divorce. In the latter states,
ilr9rce I,n courts have gone on year after
rnrving the marriage knot until the
ber If divorces is appalling. In many
~ the ratio Of divorces to marriages is
IN fftv-a poor enough showlng-but
4hacs II is one in thirty. while in single
',ias in western sta es one divorce is
tad for every ten marriages.
verv wide inve ,tigation of divorce
been made in any country. A few
400 the chief statistical officer of
Sirnor Luigi Bodio, published few
3al satisfies for different countries, and
4 an M. Bertill IN, in a pamphlet pub
ID in Paris, gave considerable da a.
two European publica ions. together
the Massachusetts inve til alto , con-
ted the chief part of the statistics Of
4 be questions relating to divorce, which
a been answered for the whole country,
which were universal in their charac-
i related to the state and county in
c5 divorces Ewere granted; the state or
*ntrv in which the divorced parties were
ESies divorced had lived together; the
fse or causes for which they were di-
Zced. whether the divorce was absolute
imi ed in its character; the number OF
6ldren which had been born under the
non; and whether the hu band or wife
b the llbelant.
Df the eastern states, Massachusetts is the
Isl lax in her laws, and consequently
a larger number of divorces recorded
In her neighbors. In the early days of
state only one plea for divorce was
sognized-the violation of the marriage
and but few divorces occurred. But in
ksnt years the laws have been gradual lily
Hred First, desertion was recognizel as
Il cient ground for legal separa ion, then
Eeme cruelty was let in. NexO followed
atual intoxication, cruel and abusive
s. EJment neglect to provide, imprison-
hi, impotency and separation without
0 ent. The character OF society in Ma Ssa-
belts has changed IN the last genera ion.
&riage is looked upon now more lightly
b a score of years go. S5atist cs col
He'd by the state officials show that dur
d the twenty years ending Dec.
1856 there were 1924 divorces
Snted in Massachusetts, 3,075 to
kes and 6,S49 to females. In 1867
number of divorces g auted vas 2S2.
4 1886 the number was 601. During the
b. period of twenty years there were
j 1876 making the ratio of divorces to
Arriages l to 31.1 for the twenty years.
j in 1867 there was only one dive ce to
9 marriages, while in 1886 there was one
orce to every 80 marriages. Suffolk
knty, which includes the city of Boston,
record of 1850 divorces to rs. 800 mar
ges-a ratio of l to 800 for the twenty
s. Desertion heads the list of causes
Heb led to divorces, with a record of 4 ,341 /;
ltery is next with 3, 104 cases; intoxica-
caused 1,042 divorces, and extreme
betty 547. OF all the divo ces deer ell, SO
cent were granted on complaint of the
4he champion state in upholding the
fmnity of the marriage rite is South
Foina. No divorces are granted there
! any cause. "Olce married always mar
d' is the inexorable law of the state.
Early ali of the southern states and most
i The middle ates have strict laws govern
J the granting of divorces, so that many
4 the reside is who desire a legal separa-
p are compelled to take up a tempory
dence In states where the laws are more
lent.
Vlsconsin has a record of $4,000 divorces
twenty years. The laws of that state
vide for the granting of divorces for in
Flty, cruel or inhuman treatment, i'm
ency, desertiOn, where one of the parties
been conhned in state prison for three
r' where ole has been q drunkard for
year, or where the pa rites have volun-
ny llVed apart for five years preceding
suit.
nlcago leads as Offering the best fac
les Tor dissatisfied couples to obtain di-
T' All OF the causes reog gnized else
sIe are sufficient, and the Chicago def
Ou OF what constitutes residence is
'uslentiy lenient to make the divorce mill
Iee Ior all" concern. Publicity is
Vueu as much as possible, and rye
.Ior'loh Of DEGREES are granted in default
;uc noh-appearance of the defenda t. A
nago authority has drawn up table
wing what becomes Of divorced women.
3De1 n... Pc rcent.
II II Il remarked within a year, ........ 20
~, II altlng for an offer r........., 10
4 ~ ~ " Falen into evil ways. ....... 10
II, v devoted TO celibacy. 5
DnosoI le olllclal records of Hennepin county,
lues3ta, .[ IN which Minneap lis is situated,
Ooo Vnat Chicago has a rival. With
nm VV :; marriages in the last thirty years,
/ oon. uaVorces &c have been granted cool 10
srs 0To, H.. ne number during the past two
a mas largely exceeded that OF any
Il oi Years In all parts Of the country
roas lumber OF women wh) apply for di-
fCes double the number of men.
krl.d ideIpohse @ to letters of inquiry for
ve reu oy one of our New York represen-
1 S 50 70 large number of eminent men
Iosi"oI "ouen, the su joined letters have been
(w,' ''u t9ucchlng the laxity of our divorce
on r'a anu the legislation needed to make
II tbensoei ,Ure UNIFORM and just. They SPEAK
tSe ttS5eDiselves, and are timely contribution
,si.,, Ge startli 6 report II Commissions of
ID Jbtl'Dlcs ,boro Wright on the subject summar-
r's 'SAN ZEN CARLISLE WANTS UNIFORM LAWS.
Iuer our system of poyarnr,ar+ tho