The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-20

inhabitants Of that section being particu-
| larly addicted 10 domestic discord nppa-
rently. But, great as the capacity Of the
law mills for producing divorces, they do
not grind them out fast enough to supply
the public demand, aud thus IL comes about
that numerous factories are constantly in
operation for the manufacture Of bogus
divorces. turning them out by hundreds for
/ the benefit Of customers who are not dis
posed to ask questions so long as they can
secure secrecy and dispatch.
| Boarding house life is said to be particu-
larry fatal to the permanence of the marital
relation, perhaps because wives are left
without employment and fall ready prey
| to sinister influences. theatrical people are
VIGOROUSLY addicted to oonjugal separa-
tions. Their mode OF existence is not such
as to encourage the domestic virtues, and in
travelling about they are afforded excep-
tional opportunities Of obtaining divorces
and even for the practice of interstate poly
gamy. While, as has been said, divorces
are granted in South Carolina, in North
Carolina judge can accord decree on any
ground that seems to him sufficient, if it
were only that husband had an objection
able habit OF scratching matches on the seat
| OF MS trousers, or that wife persisted in
| wearing curl papers at the breakfast table.
| A man who Is dissa tisfied with domestlcity
can 60 TO New Mexico claim that bis wife
ASLuoo0 w dSCOLup hLy lllug dlA6k6 Q6S6EJlOu,
publish his application few times in alocal
newspaper, and get a decree by default.
her only safeguard, in order TO get chance
to put In a reply, would be TO subscribe for
all OF the papers in that region and look
them over daily. She would not have to
take more than few hundred journals
In New York state marriage is purely a
question of civil contract. being regarded
DY the law IN the same manner as bust
ness partnership. The words making the
| contract may he spoken between the man
and woman when no witnesses are present,
but 1t will stand II proved. II a man in.
duces woman to live with him by saying,
u will make you my wife, that is simply
betrothal, and she cannot do more than
sue him for breach OF promise. The words
used must be In the present tense as ''I
take you for my wife"to which the wo-
man responds. II take you for my hus-
band"-or the equivalent Registering at
hotels as man and wife, or living together
as such, does not make a marriage, though
the introducing of q woman by man
as his wife is regarded as evidence
Of contract. 1t may not be con-
elusive evidence, however. Not less than
thirty cases come up before the courts Of
record In New York city every year, where
marriages are claimed on the ground that
parties concerned have lived together as
man and vile, more or less evidence being
adduced as to alleged private contract. OF
such nature was the instance OF young
Wormser, published In the newspapers
within the last few days. II person against
whom divorce has been granted in New
York marries again In that state before five
years, be or she is guilty OF bigamy; but he
or she can 90 across the river to New Jersey
by paying cents, Immediately after the d.
vorce, ana can go back and live In New
York with impunity the marriage being
valid In both states.
1t seems rather queer that marriage,
being the most serious and important of all
engagements, is the only kind of contract
into which minors can legally enter. New
Mexico is the only place In the United States
where boy and girl are not per mitted at
some time during minority to marry
without the consent of their pa
rents There is a popular notion TO
the effect that marriages ssiemnized
seas, beyond ten miles from shore are valid
In law, and larky young couples sometimes
charter tugboats to run out into the ocean
for the proper distance, where they have
the ceremony performed by the master of
the tug. Il 10 worth while they should
know that this performance is of M legal
efficiency whatever, and does not constitute
marriage.
Why should there not be in all the states
and territories uniform marriage aud
divorce regulations2 Doubtless this will be
accomplished before many years have
passed. The project is being vigorously
agitated, and it is expected that the Ameri-
can Bar Association will offer a memorial
to congress on the subject. II has been sug-
gested that the legislatures OF the states
might appoint commission to agree upon
uniform system, but il would be
difficult to arrive as such an agreement.
New York, for instance, would Ger
taiuly be unwilling to accept any
other ground for divorce than the single one
it now recognizes, while other states would
surely be indisposed to relinquish the rscog-
milton of cruelty, abandonment, etc. The
more practicable plan would seem to be
found In the adoption Of an amendment to
the constitution Of the United States by a
vote of the people. The two words, "and
marriage" inserted in the fourth SUBJ
division OF section s Of the constitution
would, as Judge Noah Davis has suggested,
give congress the power to establish uniform
laws.