The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-21

crease from f.sN a year 20 s.sn- Prom
isss 20 issi the number Of divorces appiied
for was $50. out Of w4.ach *s.e1 were
grated. the last year showing 500
The reason urged for the passage Of the
law was that fnany applications were then
being made for separation aud X vas De-
iiswed the restraint was one OF the causes.
az that time the proportion Of SEPARATIONS
was In 100 marriages; in twelve years.
under the divorce Law. IL had increased 10
= in l.Da IL. therefore. the conditions
were considered bad enough In w. 10
call for legislation. what must be Tue
opinlan now that the legislation has so
utterly failed of it's purpose?
Very much OF the same kind OF reason
Ing has been heard In the legislatures OF
every state in the Union. The stock ar
gument OF those who advocated. easy d.
vorees was that people rsbeIled against
80 many enforced conditions. and mat X
most could be divorced few would seek IL
such reasoning mignt be justified In some
reia tons, but masrimony does not seem
70 be one Of them.
Since the days when infidelity was the
sole ground for divorce the statutes have
added one cause after another until now
mere incompa tibllity In IN some states
considered sufficient 20 Justify sever
ance of the marital ties. Both extremes
OF the arch are founded upon wide apart
but substantial views of the sanctity OF
the marriage vow. Inc earlier opinion
was expressed in the Injunction; Whom
God has Joined let no man put asunder."
The celebration Of nuptials was
a solemn occasion. Apart from any Gus
tom governing the period of courtship or
engagement. the Law required that the
''banns'' be published. For three sue
cessiye Sundays public announcement was
made OF the fact that John Doe and Mary
Roe were TO be united In matrimony. and
those who knew of any just cause or
impedirnent why they should not be mar
ried' were hidden 10 make known the
fact before the wedding or thereafter
ever hold their peace"
The Joining OF two lives in the cares
and responsibilities of mutual reliance
and the rearing of offspring was a sol
emn occasion. not fiippantly entered upon
nor lightly broken. No man might put
away his wife. nor a woman obtain re-
lease from her husband unless for the
offense against the other which is uni
versaily regarded as the gravest. The
sanctity OF the relation was undoubtedly
held more inyiolate. the family tie was
more binding. the home was more sub
stantial under such social condition: 1t
more nearly reaches the ideal than in any
other aspect.
But there Is, II must be admitted, an
other aspect. IL Is found In the ILL
matched pair. in the cruel husband or
al, fafx
biity OF one 10 the other-the turning OF
the golden fruit longed for by the eyes
OF inexperience into the ashes of a bitter
disappointment.
To these castaways upon the shore of
despair came the relief boat of divorce.
II was manned by sympathetic men and
women of the world. who knew that there
were greater cruelties than blow, few
harsher than neglect; that a heart may
suffer from starvation in a home OF
comfort and plenty; that the isolation
OF celibacy was better than the ioneli-
ness of those who walk through life in
unioved and unioving company. There
were those, too, who shrunk sensitively
from the Idea of insisting upon man or
woman sustaining even lawful relations
unsanetified by love. and launching anon
humanity the offspring of mere eonnubial
propinquity.
In these views. human kind was exalt-
cd. III there is hope OF perfection In man.
IL would seem more nationally TO come
from union OF the well-matched. from
contentment In that union. and a benign.
happy influence before no less than after.
the natal day when the father and the
mother yield mp their sole control of the
child 70 the destiny of life.
What callous. careless consequence
has sprung from well-meant law Is
shown by the utter absence OF response
billy with which marriage Is entered
upon and the tauntiness with which Ii Is
left Some OF the family complications
which have ensued make one shiidaer. A
sentimental consideration for the spirit
TALLY pure and morally scrupuious has
been diverted 10 a grossly lax sanction
OF legalixecs concupiscence.
Many OF the reasons assigned for d.
vorce. even on the part OF normally
good people. have existed from all time
but have not until OF late years been re-
garded by civilized people as justification
for separation and re-mating. Life IL
fun of disappointments and disiliusions
Tho young couple who In good faith
undertake to love. cherish and comfort
each other for life. early md that The
principal requirement in that task IL for
bearance. In every relation OF life differ
enccs of taste. habits, temperament and
temper cause friction and unsociahility
Few people become lifelong and fast
friends II they are closely associated. II
could hardly be expected that two lives
should ia SO entirely blended into one
that unvavyiug harmony should mark
each step. But even after the first flush
81 loves passion rales. there Ia much
hope Of less unhappy married life II there
he but little gentleness, considerable
ness. a little leaiency In judging faults.
a iittle effort a praise. even little deaf
ness 20 too hastily expressed anger.
Men and women are not saints. but
they can be better companions and friends
n they look more steadily 20 the main
tenance Of home than the false allure
ments Of divorce. false because. while
separation IS sometimes followed by han
~. better mating. the usual step Is one
from bad 20 worse. with The dtsappoint-
msnt enbltterine ard she disslluSlon more
cruel that it has left no hope beyond
no glamour 81 an untrsveled vista
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THE PASSING oF THE SHUTTLE.
one of rhe rev cotton mills IN the