The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-19
A NEW CAUSE For DIVORCE.

A NEW CAUSE FOR DIVORCE.
A woman has brought a suit for d.
vorce in Washington, D. c., which af-
fords perhaps the most remarkable plea
for separation Of husband and wife
ever preferred before a judicial trib-
unaL The petition says that for some
time before marriage her husband had
inoculated her with ideas not in ac-
cordance with modern civilization, and
such was the influence he gained over
her that she saw things only In the
light In which he presented them to her.
Continuing, the petition recites that her
husband has made her married life one
of continuous seIf-effacement, abnega-
ton and bending to his will, and she has
been made to believe IT her duty to
yield to the slightest wish of IAN arbi-
trary and exacting self-appointed Judge
and MASTER
1t is probable that she did not regard
him as an exacting Judge and master
ing him under the circumstances she
constituted him to be to herself what
she knew him to be himself.
So long as the woman remained un-
der the influence she was happy. 1t
was only when she resented ii and
sought to breal. from it that unhappi-
ness crept In. Whether the condition
was desirable or not depends entirely
upon the wisdom with wh:c. the hus-
band exerted his power. Some women
are content 10 accept such an existence
and some husbands are wise enough to
turn the submission into domestic hap
piness: bit whether this can be done
requires an adaptability TO each other
ftlly as much as in any other form of
coanubiality.
r. day has certainly gone by when
the wife becomes bone OF the bone and
.iesh OF The flesh. loving. honoring and
toeyins VITA the Oriental passiveness of
the early Scriptures. Yet e, en- the most
ancieI' races produced very remark
able women who. from their force of
character. became the power behind the
throne. slammed the age with their In
dividuality. set up and threw down
dynasties. and changed the current of
events.
But these were exceptions. more rare
than In modern times. perhaps. but fire.
quent enough TO demonstrate that a
woman's capacity does not depend up-
on laws or customs Independence OF
the husband is not necessarily shown
by antagonism to him. but this is too
often the form II takes. Entire abnera-
ton Of self does not follow a DISPOSE.
ton to acQuiesce In the husbands
wishes, TO defer to his means and 10
find pleasure In pleasing him.
II may crafty pride 10 feel that the
husband must yield. but it does not
draw them together nor does II most
surely promote domestic harmony. No
human institution can be successfully
conducted which has two heads. II is
only In the home that modern though, is
striving TO defy rule based upon all
experience. II is found not only In the
movement toward intellectual advance
ment in women. but In community
laws. In one case Is found tendency
10 less happy homes and more divorces.
and in tho other to an ahsurdity. \
man. for instance. can by keeping MS |
possessions in any form OF persona,
property retain absolute control Of any |
amount. but II he puts any Of 7, into
real estate he creates rev master. |
tying his own hands and aroraiur
him. ut the same time. or opportunity
70 9efraui his creditors.
In the divorce case referred u. the !!
causes are probably exaggerated hv |
legal ingenuity. ana there is no sucses- |
ton OF cruelty. OF tyranny. 0. fraud. or |
indeed. Ct any grievance excep, such |
as might arise where either o. two mar.
ties 10 marriage was much stronger /
minded than the other. Y the posItinns
were reversed. the man would be ,r,-
recognized as "hen-packass
husband" and II divorce is TO BE- grant
e3 for such reasons fully as MANY r,sv
as women have right 10 apply for
Sc paraiorl-
iacoupatlb!lity CO disposition or tenn