Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-22
Wholesale Divorce.

QOlS, LuIUuBu llo AOb ObA9A"'NANt
long list of proper causes for divorce
and then closes up by giving to the
courts the right to make a decree OF di-
vorce in any case where they deem IL
expedient. After that you are not sur
prised at the announcement that in one
county of the state Of Illinois, in one
wear, there were 833 divorces. II you
want to know how easy it is, you have
only to look over the records OF the
states. In the city of San Francisco 3SS
divorces in one year, and in 20 years in
New England 20, 900. Is that not easy
enough?
If the same ratio continue-the ratio
of multiplied divorce and multiplied
causes of divorce-we are not far
from the time when our courts Will
have to set apart whole days for appli'
cation, and all you will have to prove
against a man will be that he left his
newspaper in the middle Of the floor,
and all you will have to prove against
a woman will be that her husbands
overcoat is buttonless. Causes OF di-
vorce double in few years-douoled
in France, doubled in England and
doubled in the United States. To show
how very easy it is l have to tell you
that in western reserve, Ohio, the pro-
portion of divorces to marriages cele-
brated is to II, in Rhode Island IS to
I3, in Vermont to ii. Is not that easy
enough?
l want you to notice that frequency Of
divorce always goes along with the dis
soluteness of society. Rome for 500 years
had not one case Of divorce. Those were
her days of glory and virtue. Then the
reign of vice began, and divorce became
epidemic. II you want to know how
rapidly the empire went down, ask Glib
bon.
What we want in this country and in
all lands is that divorce be made more
and more and more difficult Then peo-
pie before they enter that relation will
be persuaded that there will probably
be no escape from it except through the
door of the sepulcher. Then they will
pause on the verge of that relation un-
til they are fully satisfied that it is best,
and that it is right, and that it is hap
piest Then we shall have no more mar
riage in fun. Then men and women
will not enter the relation with the idea
it is only a trial trip, and if they do not
like it they can get out at the frst
landing. Then this whole question will
be taken out of the frivolous into the
tremendous. and there will be no more
ioking about the blossoms in brides
hair than about the cypress ON coffin.
Uniform Laws In All States.
What we want is that the congress OF
the United States change the national
constitution so that law can be passed
which shall be uniform all over the
country. and what shall be right in one
state shall he right in all the states
and what is wrong in one state Will De
wrong in all the states.
How is it now? If party in the mar
riage relation gets dissatisfied, 1t Is only
necessary TO move to another state 10
achieve Liberation from the domestic
\ tie. and divorce is effected so easy that
the first one party knows Of it is by see
\ ing in the newspaper that Rev. Dr.
1 Somebody on March II, 1895, introduc-
ed in new marriage relation a men,
her of the household who went of on
pleasure excursion to Newport or busi-
4 nessexcursion to Chicago. Married at
the buide's house. No cards. There are
states,f' the Union which practically
put .premium upon the disintegration
4 OF the marriage relation, while there
are other states, like our own New
York state, that had for long time the
pre.eminent idiocy Of making marriage
4 lawful at ~ and IA years OF age.
The congress of the United States
needs to move for a change OF the ma
/ tional constitution and to appoint
committeeman made up Of single gen
tlemen, but of men Of families, ano
their families in Washington - who
shall prepare a good, honest, righteous,
comprehensive, uniform law that VIII
control everything from Sandy Hook e
the Golden Horn. That will put an enc
H to broken ties in marriages. That viii
send divorce lawyers into a decent busi
ness That will set people agitated ioi
many years on the question of how shall
H they get away from each other to plan
lining how they can adjust themselves e
\ the more or less unfayorable clronm
stances.
Marriage as = Speculation
More difficult divorce will put an es
toppel to a great extent upon marriage
as a financial speculation. There arr
men who 90 into the relation just al
they 90 into Wall street TO purchas'
shares. The female to be invited int
the partnership of wedlock is utterly
unattractive and in disposition a sup
pressed Vesuyius. Everybody knows 1t
but this masculine candidate for matri
tmonial orders, through the commercial
aagenoy or through the county records
finds out how much estate is to be In
heuited. and he calculates it. He think
Dut how long it will be before the ole
man will die, and whether he can stanC
the refractory temper until be does die
nd then he enters the relation, for HI
avs. 'sh cannot stand it, then through
the divorce law I'll back out. " Tha
process is going on all the time, anc
men enter the relation without am
moral principle, without any affection
md it is as much matter OF stock spec
ulation as anything that transpired yes
lterday in Union Pacific, Illinois Centra
lpr Delaware and Lackawanna
Now, suppose a man understood, as h
might to understand. that il he goes in
to taat relation there is no possibilit
of his getting out, or no probability, b
would be more slow to put his neck i
the yoke. He would say to himself
Rather than a Caribbean whirlwin
with whole feet Of shipping In II
arms give me a zephyr of fields OF sur
shine and gardens Of peace.
Rigorous divorce law will also hindC
women from the fatal mistake OF mai
rying men to reform them. IL youn
man by 20 years Of age or 80 years {
age have the habit Of strong drink f1xe
ON him ha ia as certainly bound for