The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-31
MIXED DIVORCE LAWS.
A Decree Granted in California
Not Necessarily Valid In
New York.

Dissatisfied husbands and wives
who fancy they have only to go to
some other state to get a divorce
which cannot be obtained in New
York will have something to think
about in a decision recently rendered
by the General Term of the Supreme
Court ! N the third department. In the
case there decided 1t appeared that
the husband had gone to California,
and at the end of six months applied
for a divorce from his wife, whom he
left in the east. He got the divorce,
married another woman and returned
to his old home in New York. There
upon the first wife applied in this
State for a diverse on the grounds of
his unlawful relations with alleged
wife number two.
1t was shown in evidence that the
husband had never become a bona
ides citizen Of California, but had
gone there and claimed a residence for
the mere purpose of securing a di-
vorce and with the intention of re-
turning to New York to live as soon as
he got the divorce. In behalf Of the
husband it was claimed that a di-
vorce valid by the law of California
was valid everywhere, and that a
court of New York was bound to ac-
cept it as such.
The general term does not take this
view. 1t holds that when both of the
parties are citizens of New York and
one goes to another State TO obtain a
divorce it is not only the right but
the duty of a court of this State to in
quire whether the residence on which
the divorce was obtained was bona
fide or merely coIorable.n
What is requisite to constitute a
bona fide residence of six months or a
year and what Will be regarded as a
''merely colorado" residence must de-
pend chiefly ON the circumstances of
each case. But the fact that the mat
ter is open to inquiry may render this
way to divorce more difficult and un-
certain than has been generally sup
posed.
b Plea for Common Sense Dress.
Tle rain is falling in torrents; men,
women and children are hurrying
along, returning from a circus
matinee.
/ look with envy at the men so
Dldcluly tuJOyluS th0 nHOWcI, Ao WIN
umbrellas over their heads they walk
and talk. | look at the women, poor
wretches! and a groan escapes me.
Why are theY-why are we. SO long
suffering?
Every one with wet ankles, drab-
bled skirts, soiled shoes and rufied
tempers. Nor does the mischief end
here. They go home nursing all sorts
of ailments and distempers which a
wetting is supposed to furnish, and
as a matter of course, "the thing they
fear comes upon them.n | am going
to ask you to give the matter of COM
mon sense dress some grave refiec-
ton.
When the matter is well canvassed
and understood let a convention be
called, and let those who have genius
and artistic ability take to this meet
ing O costume to be worn at the re-
ceptlon given. Also let there be
offered a medal of gold to the
furnishing the best utility suit, the
decision TO be placed in the hands of
competent judges.
The idea of a prize would be to
stimulate some who would not other
wise make an effort toward emancipa-
ton. This medal in years TO come
would be an heirloom" to be proud
OF. The woman who emancipates her
sex from the slavery of petticoats-
more properly speaking. who gives
woman the freedom of her legs de
serves to be ''sainted, y and she will
be.
Is it not a reflection on the allwise
Creator when we assume our present
style Of covering for our lower extrem-
tiles? If He intended us to use our
legs as men use theirs, we have no
right to restrict their freedom in
walking. Let us either adopt a man
ner of locomotion consistent with our
dress, which / suggest be a hop, skip
and jump, or let us adapt our dress TO
our limbs and their free use.-EHen
Packer Pratt an HOnlemaEer.