Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-21
WHE FAMILY.
Divorce the Monster Evil-Investigation
by Congress.


interest is being manifested in the articles.
They Will appear each Monday till the
close Of the series.
II is hardly risking too much to say that
all students of social problems regard the
almost unrestricted liberty of divorce and
the rapid increase of the evil that now CO.
tains in the United States as the greatest
menace to the peace, purity and perpetu1ty
of the family OF our Christian civilization,
and in consequence to all other customs and
systems of social life. Thoughtful men of
all creeds and names have been alarmed for
some time at the manifest and growing dls-,
regard for the SacredneSS of the family.
The Independent of January 2, 1896, says:
THE marriage and divorce question IN the
United States is increasingly and deservedly
attracting public attention. 1t is difficult to
estimate the stupendOuS magnitude of such
an evil in human society. The mere state
ment of the facts in cold figures shows that
some remedy is needed to lessen the evil.
1t is no wonder that the system works badly
when we look at the legislation on the sub
ject How shall the evil be corrected So
far as law is concerned, it must be done by
Z radical change in state laws or by what is
far better, authorizing congress to estab-
lish a marriage and divorce system for the
whole country. So far as public sentiment
is concerned, it must be done by agitating
the question until public sentiment will i'm
IS the period of agitation and the more of it
the better. There cannot be too much Of it.
The Christian ministry ought to speak out
in thunder tones
This is fair sample of the way our lead
ing statesmen and reformers have been
viewing this question for five or ten years
past. They have had however, no basis of
actual facts and statistics upon which to
proceed, either in justifying or dispelling
their fears. Until quite recently there had-
been no general collection of statistics bear
ing on marriage and divorce and hence all
efforts at reform were largely so many
blows in the dark. In the midst of this
darkness, and in an effort to find light,
there was organized in the city of Boston,
Mass, in 1881, the New England Divorce
Reform League. This association became
national in its name and scope in 1855, at
which time it was Incorporated under the
laws OF Connecticut. During January and
February, 1854, many strong petitions We're
sent to congress asking that steps be taken
by that body looking to the collection of
facts and statistics concerning marriage and
divorce. These petitions were signed by
leading men in all parts of the country
clergymen, governors, justices OF the SUI
preme courts, presidents Of colleges,
bishops of the church, and in fact by the
best brain and character of the land. As
showing the Importance in the minds of
-ltsSc Inch VI llllS hLOic uuCStiOll, IL Will
not be improper to introduce here the form
of the petition. II was as follows:
The memorial of the undersigned citi-
Zens of the United States respectfully
shows:
That the wide difference between the
laws Of the several states as TO the causes
OF divorce and the jurisdiction of their
courts over suits for divorce by or against
non-reSidentS, constitute an acknowledged
element Of confusion and uncertainty in
American Jurisprudence.
THAT these differences have led to many
and distressing conflicts of judicial decision
in cases turning upon the degree Of faith
and credit to be given to DEGREES of divorce
under the constitution and laws of the
United States, or the comfy of nations, so
that marriage is often treated at the same
time i'll one state as dissolved, and in an
other state or country as subSisting, and a
man may be convicted of bigamy or adultery
in one Jurisdiction upon what would be
lawful second marriage in another.
THAT the ever growing mum Der of foreign
who become American citizens
and thus subject marriages contracted
abroad TO the jurisdiction of our courts of
divorce, or by temporary return to their
original domicile may submit American di-
vorces TO the test of examinations by
foreign tribunals, make these matters q not
frequent cause of collision in the admins
trarion of private international law.
That the magnitude of these evils, their
bearing upon our general social conditions,
and the best methods Of guarding against
their increase, can be fully unprecedented
only by careful collection and comparison
OF the facts and statistics Of divorce.
And that no attempt to obtain such sta
tstics can hope for any considerable sue
cess. unless ii is made By the authority of
the United States.
sf1lr c+c
such 4 law may be passed as will provide |
for thorough inquiry into the various |
matters above referred to, and the collec- |
ton of statistics of divorce from the re- |
cords and authorities of the several states |
as basis for future legislation"
These petitions, signed by men of so |
much weight, attracted the attention of |
senator's and representatives, and on March |
), 1884, Senator Garland, from Arkansas,
bill providing for the collection
Of facts and statistics relating to marriage |
and divorce. 1t was not however, till |
March 3, 1887, that the bill finally passed
both houses and became law. The carry
me out of the provisions of this bill was
placed in the hands of the commissioner of
to his assistance, by way OF suggesting the
proper line OF inquiry, the Rev. S. W.
Dixie, Ii. D., secretary of the National
divorce reform league. The line of in
vestioatiou adopted was as thorough and
as the nature of the case
would admit. The task before the commits
siouer was an herculean one, but right |
has he performed it. The oues-
ions determined on, and on which the facts
collected are based. related TO the state and
county in which the divorce was granted;
.he state or country in which the divorced
parties We're married; the date of marri age
and the date OF divorce; the cause for which
the divorce was granted the nature of the
divorce. whether absolute or limited; the
number of children born under the union;
and the libellant (petitioner), whether hus-
band or wife.
To collect all these facts required much
time. expense and patience. There are near
" 200 counties in the United States, and
about 1924 courts that have jurisdiction in
divorce cases. OF all these inquiries must
be made, and in the majority of them there
must be personal investigation by an agent
IF the commissioner. But the work has
been well done, and the result is volume
Of nearly 100 pages, giving all the facts |
IS to divorce laws in every state IN the
Union, and giving all the statistics relating |
10 divorce in all but 100 counties of the
whole 200 in the United States. The
records in these 100 counties had been de-
stroyed by fire, so that the facts for only
portion of the years could be secured The I
period for which investigation was made
was the twenty years from 1867 to 1856.
In addition to the collection of facts for
the United States, there is an appendix of
nearly 100 pages giving similar statistics
for most of the countries of Europe for the
same period. This is very valuable and
Will enable US to get Z. much broader view
Of the subject than if we were confined to