Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-02

| divorces are difficult to obtain in one
| penditure of a little time and money
| in another state. This causes no end
of legal confusion, to say nothing Of
its moral effects, and so again there is
an appeal for a national divorce law,
uniform for all states. A national
| bankrupt law has just been passed
after aStruggle of many years. Surely
| there is greater need of a national
law on divorce.
The loose laws relating to divorce in
many of the states, notably in some in
the West, have much to do with the
disturbance on the divorce question.
People whose differences might be
settled if they knew divorces could not
slight provocations, go out West for
the sole purpose of being divorced in
three months, with the avowed inten-
ton of marrying again as soon as they
are free. The question of whether a
divorce granted in one state is valid
in another continues to come up in the
courts. Matters relating to property
are involved and litigation is prolonged.
It is hopeless to think that the laws in
the states will ever be uniform on the
subject of divorce. 1t will bes next 10
impossible to get legislatures in 45
states to pass uniform laws Of any
kind
The present divergences of the law
lead to conflict of judicial decisions. A
| marriage is judicially regarded in one
state as dissolved and in another state
as existing. 1t is possible that a per-
son may be convicted of bigamy in one
jurisdiction when the second marriage
would be accepted as lawful in another
Jurisdiction. Questions of heirship,
title to property and other important
incidental issues turn upon the legality
of marriage. The conflict of divorce
laws involves questions of morality,
the happiness of families, personal and
property rights, and reveals a defect
| in our governmental institutions.
A number of the bishops of the
Protestant Episcopal church We're re-
Gently interviewed on the subject, and
| nearly unanimous opinion prevails
among them that a uniform divorce
| law is essential to throw desirable
| safeguards around marriage. One of
| them desires such uniformity as will
prevent citizen of New York from 60
| ing to South Dakota and there obtain
| ing a decree of divorce, and expressed
| the view which is shared by many that
| there is too much collision between
parties interested in securing separa-
| ton. Another bishop regretted that
| the regulation of this matter. Bishop
Doane of Albany, feared that in formu-
lating a uniform law the high level of
some states would be brought down to
the low level of other states ir~the en-
deavor to strike mean between them.
The drift of sentiment among these
prelates is toward uniformity.
| Our national law makers have many
grave matters to settle, but this is one
that should be put 4. aside no longer.
The states cannot DIAL singly with it
and any agreement for uniformity
among them is out of the question.
Here in Maine we see the divorce evil
in one of it's worst stages. According
to the State department of vital sta
| tistics Names divorce rate Is the
1 highest of the New England states, and
one of the highest among all the states.
This fall the courts in several counties
have reported more divorces applied
for and more granted than ever before
at a single term. OF course it is pos
sible that this condition of things could
be helped by changing our own laws,
but n national divorce law would be ;,
| much more satisfactory solution of the
problem for Maine and, for the Union.
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