St. Paul daily globe., 1894-08-19
mARRlAGE AND nryORCE

A blue book, recently published by
the British gov vernment, on the subject
of marriage and divorce, presents some
facts which are not generally known to
the people interested in this very i'm
portant study. The book covers various
countries, including the United States.
Careful investigation discloses that
nearly all civilized Dations have limit
to the age at which young people may
marry. But Russia presents the only
instance where limit is placed at the
mature years. In that country no per-
son over eighty years of age can marry,
and no person Is allowed to enter the
married state more than three times.
In Hungary. the law forbids widows
who have children to marry after they
have passed the age of thirty. But
should they be childless. they can marry
as often as they please. that is legally,
until they reacli the age of forty, but
they are pot allowed TO have more than
four matrimonial ventures. Men. too,
find restrictions in that country. They
cannot marry women thirty years
younger nor twenty years older than
themselves. Marriageabe ages differ in
the countries according to their latl-
tudeS. India is not the only country
i'll which child marriage is allowed.
Southern nations, as rule. owing to
the fact that their women age rapidly,
permit marriage at much earlier
period.
Most civilized countries tend towards
making marriage wholly civil con-
tract. In Hungary for many gears the
| spectacle was presented of a struggle
for the supremacy of civil or religious
marriage. The Catholic and Greek
| churches headed the movement directed
against the change from the Old-eStab-
! lished religious contracts. which were
up to recent period compulsory. The
victory OF the reform party, during the
past year, in making the civil contract
binding, was celebrated with much re.
| Joicing in every section Of the kingdom.
In France the civil contract, which
became the rule at the time OF the rovo-
luton, is still in force; but there are
peculiar formalitieS connected with it
which make an irkSome bar. Scotland
Is perhaps the most liberal in the rules
applicable to marriage contract. There
all man need do is to formally an
nounce to number of byStanders that
a lady ''iS his wife," and if she nod S
assent the statement takes the form of
a legal marriage contract. In England
the law, however, requires a ceremony
at place of worship licensed for the
purpose, or ceremony at the office of
some registrar. In Switzerland notice
of an intended marriage must first be
published in the newspapers.
Causes for divorce differ in the vari-
us countries OF Europe as much as they
do in the different states of this country.
France demands that incomDatibility
must be proven, while Germany makes
a limit at masquerade aversion" This
after cause appears rather trivial TO
the well-informed, leaving a great lati-
tude for action. In Roumania the courts
demand that proof shall be furnished
beyond a question thaS existence III
common is imposslble.' Canada, Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick have resu-
| lardivOrce courts; British Columbia and
Prince Edward Island delegate to the
judges jurisdiction over the premises.
But for the remainder OF the dominion
it is necessary for those seeking divorce
to apply to parliament for relief. Their e
is general dissatisfaction existing over
this last-mentioned method, and efforts
are now being made to establish a uni
form system for divorce actions. appli-
cable to all of the British possessions.
Everybody knows the moduS operandi
in the United States. But the fact that
the state of South Carolina mas no law
authorizing divorce is perhaps not gen
orally known.