The sun., 1891-03-27
Women and Divorce.

Women and Divorce.
A daughter Of Bishop OF tho Episcopal
Church has secured In Rhode Island an alb
solute divorce from her husband on the
grounds OF abandonment and non-support
Under the decree OF the Court she will re-
sumo her maiden name as II che had never
been married.
This lady went from Brooklyn to obtain
nominal residence in Rhode Island for the
express purpose Of getting divorce for
causes which, under tho law of this State.
and under the canons OF the Episcopal
Church, are not sufficient for the dissolution
OF marriage. Among the witnesses in her
behalf at Newport was the Bishop himself,
her father Hor husband made no oppo-
sitton to her petition; and incompatibility
OF temperament and character, rather than
the grounds on which the decree was OBJ
tained seems to havo been the real motive
Tor escaping from the matrimonial bonds.
This Is only the latest addition to a long
list Of divorces obtained within recent years
by women Of high social standing in New
York for similar causes They were SO anx-
become hateful to them that they fled to
OIHtl ptulCS W Vdho VI ulNOICo
laws more liberal than our own; and though
nearly all Of them arc Episcopalans,
they were not restrained from their purpose
even by the law of tho Church. They
practically deiied the Church, and treated
marriage MS civil contract only, showing
also their sympathy with the demand which
has secured freer divorce in the great ma
jorty of the States. for tho benefit OF wives
more especially.
Tho manifestation OF such sentiment on
the part OF ladies' Of social consequence in
New York has become so frequent OF lato
years that it has an important significance
Tor the Divorce Reform Leagues which are
trying to mako the New York divorce law
the model for State legislation in the Union
generally. In pursuit OF that purpose
commission was appointed in this State
to make inquiries as to the feasibil-
ity OF bringing about the desired
uniformity; but meanwhile many women
Of New York are giving practical evidence
that they want the model to be rather the
freer divorce legislation of other States, and
OF those where the causes for the disruption
Of marriage are most numerous and tho op-
portunitties for obtaining 1t more easily.
They prefer the Delaware and Rhode Island
laws to the statute of New York. with its
single cause for divorce.
This practical discomfort with our law ap-
pears among women moro than among men,
II we take the disposition to fly to other
States for freer and easier divorce as an in
dicatlon. Tho majority OF the voluntary
and temporary exiles from New York for
this purpose arc women. They are also sus-
tanned in their course by the feminine
leaders OF fashion. When they return to
Now York after having been emancipated
from their matrimonial obligations, they
resume their places In society," and even
enter into new marriages without encoun-
tering Its dsapproval Virtually. therefore,
the fashionable society OF this city. tho
centre and fountain OF American fashion,
declares itself In favor OF free divorce In.
stead OF the strict divorce OF its own State,
This practical exhibition of sentiment 1t
makes also at q time when the Protestant
Churches to which It's members belong, and
more especially the Episcopal Church, are in
slsting that free divorceis contrary to the law
OF GoD and fatal to the well being of society.
The Church denounces tho remarriage of
those thus divorced MS adulterous unions,
hateful to GOD; and yet these divorced
women marry again. and society gives them
Its countenance and approval. Occasionally.
and as their acquaintance well understand,
they escape from the old marriage for the
express purpose Of entering into q new.
This Is q very remarkable indication. 1t
points to changes In social and religious
sentiment OF a very radical kind. They are
changes which do not presage success for
the Efforts to make New York legislation the
model for tho States uniformly. The Della
ware model or the Rhode Island model
seems to be better liked by women even In
our own State.