The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-03-09

or physical laws, and abuse Of the priv
ileges granted them as reasoning beings
and who. therefore, should be repu-
dated, disOwned, and deprived of all
possible means of transmitting their
vices and the accompanying suffering
and sorrow to innocent. helpless, unOf
Tending offspring. 81
But there are still other causes which
should be held as legitimate reasons
for divOrce-viZ., deSertiOn, failure to
provide for family. and cruelty-frOm
all which sources the large and con-
stantly-increasing army of paupers, de-
pendents on charity and wrOng-dOers
(driven to crime by starvation, want of
employment and ignOrance) are con-
tinually reinforced in all our cities and
towns. The only tangible means by
which this source of supply can be ar
rested is by the strict enforcement of
the divorce law lin its spirit as in it's
letter. to those who thus contribute to
the national pauperiZation.
The line must be drawn somewhere
and there is no better Or more effective
line of demarcation than that provided
by a cOmmOn-sense adjustment of the
law of divorce. In order to prevent
cOllusion, evasion or fraud on the part
of SuitorS. and to ensure all honest in
vestigatiOn into the bona .fdes of every
case, the evidence of both plaintiff and
defendant should be submitted to an
official commission of three persons,
eminent in the medical and legal pro-
fessiOns, who should make their report
to the Judge; and the judge, having
carefully considered the sworn evidence
and the referees report, should give his
Judgment accordingly. We need
moral quarantine quite as urgently as
we need sanitary regulations for the
preservation of the public health.
When an invasion of cholera or other
infectious disease is threatened Or has
shown itself, we organize Gordon Of
medical police to arrest its progress,
and take prompt measures to disinfect
and purify those dwellings already Wis
tied by the deadly foe. SO must it be
in relation to all matters of moral and
social purity. There are thousands
upon thousands of families now in eX-
istence which have been deteriOrated,
decimated and almost destroyed by the
vices and irregularities of the parents,
where the offspring have become so i'm
pregnated with the virus of physical,
mental and moral cOntagiOn that alb
sOlute cure is almost impossible. All
that can be done in such cases is to NIT
igate the evil which exists, and prevent
its further spread. One chief object as
regards the rising and future genera
tiOns is to organize and strictly enforce
such regulations as shall prevent the
marriage Cor, if already married, dis
solve the marriage) of such persons as,
by reason of mental deficiency, physical
condition or ~, Ohlipnifv aro inna
pable of fulfilling the duties, and carry
ing out in all their purity the respon-
sibilities of parents and guardians.
Make the proof of the existence of these
vices and irregularities on the part of
either of the parties to the marriage
contract prind .fucie evidence for a de-
cree of divorce. Thus, the further
spread of disease (mental. moral or
physical) will be effectually checked;
and, if we 60 step farther, and dbsO-
Mte1y prohibit the marriage of all un-
married persons exhibiting by their
conduct or condition such diSqualify-
ing characteristics as those we have de-
scribed, we shall ensure to future gen
eratiOns and future ages period OF
national prosperity, personal happiness,
moral excellence and intellectual at
tainment greater than the world has
vet known and realize as fact and
priceless blessing that which has hith-
efto been only pleasant fiction IA
sound mind in sound body as the
proud possession of the future Amer
lean citizen. Divorce for adultery only
means depraved and dying nation;
divorce for the causes we have men,
toned, subject to reconstructed law,
means new and powerful nation, the
pride of the world. F. j. q.
Charlestown, Mass.