Evening journal., 1893-02-21
DELAWARE DIVORCE LAW
How Married Couples Are
Separated in This State.
HOAX DEFINITIONS DIssIPATED.

crlticIsm-Every Bill Receives Inn
partial Hearing.
STAFF Correspondence Evening Journal
DOVER, Feb. 21.-The State House
wore deserted look last evening. The
only senators present were Speaker
Houston and Mr.. Pyle. In the House
were Representatives Watkins. Bryan,
Hickman, Jacobs and Day. There was
but little news floating around Willard
Salisbury, Jr., and Preston Lea were
here in the interest of the Wilmington
City Railway Company and spent the
evening talking to the few members
here.
Since the hearing on Thursday even
ing Mr.. Salisbury has communicated
with Peter J.. Cooper, Jr, OF the VIII
mington and New Castle Electric Rail-
way Company he made proposition that
the bill be amended so as to allow the
new company to lay its tracks from New
Castle to any point on New Castle
avenue, in Wilmington, the Wilmington
City Railway Company making connec-
tion there and pulling their cars and
passengers TO any point in the city which
the new company should name.
Mr.. Cooper refused the proposition and
insisted upon a terminal in the city
either at Fourth and Shipley or at Fourth
and King or Market streets.
This leaves the fight on even hotter
than ever. The cry of no compromise
seems to have gone forth The VIII
mington and Brandywine and other char
ters have sunk into secondary considera-
tion, and the Wilmington and New Cas-
! tie charter seems to be regarded as the
crucial test of the exclusive privileges of
the old company within the corporate
limits Of Wilmington.
To Merge the Departments.
To-day Senator Pyle will give notice of
a bill to merge the Departments of Elec-
tions of the city of Wilmington and the
State Department of Elections for the
city of Wilmington. The merging will
save both the city and the state money,
and simplify the work
The Delaware "DIvoroe MILL"
Much has been said and much has been
written about the divorcements made by
the General Assembly of the State Of
Delaware. Metropolitan journals have
devoted column after column to stories
which were, in the main, fakes of the
most fragrant kind. Moralists have de-
plored the operations of the divorce
mill, and the grist it grinds. They
have pointed to Delaware as an exempli-
fcation of the proposition that marriage
is failure The more hot-headed and
inconsiderate have denounced Delaware
divorce legislation as a blot upon the
proud escutcheon of the state.
For the most part these objections and
bewailings are based upon erroneous sup
position and not upon matters of fact.
They are mothered by ignorance and
fathered by prejudice. The question as
tnl. { IL.
place to get divorces is another thing
and the only question which enters into
the opposition to this class Of legislation,
manifested In the Senate during the last
two years.
1t Is noticed, however, that the senat-
ors who are so pronounced in their op-
position TO divorce and road bills, and
cry them down as class legislation over
which the court has ample jurisdiction
are not averse to Offering acts Of incor
poration and similar measures over which
the courts have just as much jurisdiction.
Now to the divorce business. The
person who wants a divorce must pub.
lish a notice in public paper, published
in the county in which he or she may re.
side, for at least one month before the
day of the hearing.
In the meantime the speakers of the
. uUunco AIANc ApiOAulGu AutAI tOIAulNlttt
three on the part Of the Senate aud
Eve on the part of the House. Eight
able and well equipped men.
Upon the day fixed for the hearing
these eight men assemble in the State
House parlor to hear testimony. The
witnesses are introduced, sworn and
testify. They then retire and the com
mittee proceeds to consider the case
Whenever there is an element of dOub
the stenographer transcribes the note!
and places them in the hands of the com
mittee. They are carefully perused anS
the committee of the House in which thi
bill originated proceeds to act. The
other committee reserves TO itself th'
right to make an adverse report to ii
House if the evidence is not satisfactory
No bill is voted upon in joint committe
as the five House members could guide
the policy of the Senate Committe, having
as it does, FIVE of the eight members.
Each member of the committee has tn
privilege of asking any question bearinl
upon the matter at issue They are no
hedged around by admissible and non
admissible evidence. There are n
lengthy arguments by paid attorneys a
TO whether the witness shall or shall no
be compelled to answer this question o
that question The legislative question
are common place and full of commo
sense. They bear directly upon th
charges preferred. There is DO mincing
1t is a case of man and his fellow-man
an honest effort to bring everything (
light with no paid infusion to keep anJ
thing in the dark.
The members have a sworn duty [
perform and they do it to the best
their ability. Where the circumstance
in the case justify relief it is giver
when they do not it is refused, and jus
as impartially as il would be in th
courts.
There are two peculiar features con
nected with legislative divorces Oneis thl
the persons concerned are nearly alway
poor: another is, that in nine cases OF
of ten there is no defense. The commi
teemen hear the plaintiff and her vii
nesses, size them up, as it were, dra
their own conclusions and vote aceor,
ingly.
All sorts Of tales Of marital infelcity Al
told within the marrow precincts OF q
parlor. A man six feet tall wants