Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-04-20


aw which is so persistently made un-
iOubtedly comes from those who hon.
sstly believe such a reform a desir.
ible one; but il is about as illogical a
ienand as can well be conceived.
There is no evidence whatever that
The worst of the evils of our divorce
system spring from lack OF uniform
ty of the divorce laws of the several
states, or even that the evils which
10 spring therefrom are very serious.
The objections raised TO a lack OF
uniformity are based for the most
! part on the uncertainty which some.
| times arises as to the legal status OF
| divorced persons or their right to
marry again, and this is certainly a
minor evil compared with some OF
| those which are traceable to our di-
Eorce system. If uniformity could
cure these evils without infiicting
worse ones on the community there
| would be no objection to it beyond
The strong objection there is in a gov.
,rnment like ours to giving to the
federal power control over the mat
ters which belong to the States. The
unfortunate probability is, however,
that uniformity would infict worse
evils than it could by any possibility
cure. Any uniformity which could
be secured by the consent of three
tourths OF the States-and no uni
'ormity Is attainable without such
consent-would almost inevitably
smbody the worst features OF the ex.
sting State laws; or it is not conceiv-
able that the States which have taken
such pains TO make divorce easy
would assent, merely for the sake OF
having uniform law, to more severe
"estrictions.
The real evil of our divorce system
not lack OF uniformity but laxity
In the matter OF granting divorce
The ease with which the marriage
| tie is dissolved is the crying disgrace
lf the country; and while there are
eases, no doubt, where a good deal OF
wretchedness is saved by the inter
position of the courts, it is not haz-
| arding too much to assert that
! edness would be materially lessened
II there were no such thing as
| iiyOrce from the bonds of marriage
1t is almost absolutely certain that
If such were the condition of our laws
there would be far fewer Of the i'm
provident and reckless marriages
which are the sure precursors Of di-
vorce. 1t is true, probably, that the
contractors of these marriages do not
say to themselves in so many words
that there is less need for care and
prudence in marrying because the law
| affords an easy relief from an unhap.
| by marriage, but there can be nc
| doubt that this consideration is very
often present in the minds of one OF
both OF the parties. Apprise them
that there is absolutely no release
and there will certainly be greater
care and prudence in assuming the
married relation.
1t Is certain, moreover, that the
| iissensions Of the married which are
] sometimes so bitter, and which end
frequently in tragedies which startle
the community and blight the live:
/ Of whole families, would be far less
| llllu lLlCf dlC IL lIlC COul
did not stand open with a promise OF
| relief 1t is notorious-as any lawyer
| who has done a divorce business will
| tell you-that in the vast majority
] Of cases where divorce is sought on
the ground of cruelty or incompati,
! bility of temper the parties have man,
| aged to endure each other with great
fOrtitude until the ''other man" oil
''Other woman" appeared on the
scene. Then the cruelty becomes in,
; tolerable and relief is sought in the
| divorce court. Notify the married
| that they must settle their difference:
and disagreements among themselve:
and that there can be no absolute di
yorce which will permit new alliance:
| and five-sixths OF those difference:
will be amicably settled. 1t was Sc
in the old days before divorce wa:
made so easy and became so common
There were cantankerous men and
| schrewish, aggrayating women in the
days of our grandfathers and grand
mothers, and they used, no doubt, tC
harry and nag one another at time.
in the most eXasperating way. But
becase they knew that they must put
up with one another they did 1t anC
settled up their Quarrels without
scandalizing the public or theil
families or shooting anybody. Theil
descendants would do the same il
they were compelled to.
| 1t is too late in the age, perhaps,
20 abolish, divorce altogether; but il
would be great boon to the com
munity If the province Of the abso
lutte divorce were very greatly re
stricted, and if in every case where il
Is granted the divorced were re
strained for a considerable period
from remarryiDg. For a large ma
| lority Of the cases in which relic
from cruelty is asked and ought
to be granted divorce from bee
and board would furnish the reliet
without offering any inducement fol
nagnifying the necessity of protec
tion. 1t would furnish, moreover
the opportunity which ought to bt
given in every case Of marital dis
agreement for reconciliation.
This is the reform, rather than /;
uniform divorce law, which the coun
try needs. If the advocates of uni
formity will turn their efforts anC
their earnestness in the direction o
securing IN the several States such /;
modification of existing laws as indi
Gated they will be doing bette
work than that in which they ar,
now engaged-a work in which sue
:ess would be of immense benefS-.tt
society and to the institution of tn,
family, which is seriously Threatened
by all this laxity of divorce. Free
Dress.
HE who gives himself airs of i'm
portance exhibits the credentials o
| i'm