Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-25
. xAr1nxAL DIVORCE LAW.

1 The 0iSfusSib0t iudN nh'' t""'' 80
, | in the Episcopal General Convention. with
respcct TO divorce. have drawn public at
tention TO the conflicting and unsatisfac
tory laws upon the subject.
There are forty-ive States In this Union
and each one has It's own divorce laws
| man who cannot rid himself OF his
wife IN the State where he lives may go
West, acquire so-called residence In n
few weeks or months. and secure Ill
vorce upon almost any ground that he
chooses to allege.
In other words, some OF the States en-
courage n business that is depraving in
the highest degree. and which has caused
| this country TO become reproach among
| the nations Of the earth.
Here in Virginia our divorce laws gre
| sensible. and need few notifications; but
| any citizen OF ours who finds that they
| are too tight TO suit his purposes may 90
| to some other State where the require
ments are not so stringent and there he
may secure the release which ne might
ask for in vain here.
The theory OF the Federal Constitution
Is that such divorces must be respected
and held good here and In all the States;
but in some localities the courts are
throwing obstacles in the way OF recog-
nizing such divorces. 1t is especially
easy for them TO do this where property
interests are involved-and where they
have the support of a strong public
opinion.
Two remedies for the evil In question
are proposed-one the adoption of con-
stituuonal amendment giving Congress
the undoubted power to enact a uniform
divorce law; tho other. cooperative and
uniform legislation upon the part Of the
several States. Neither is likely to be
adopted soon.
To amend the Federal Constitution is a
tedious operation at best, but when pro-
position has to meet such opposition as
would certainly appear I'm this case, the
wished for relief must be looked upon as
dim and distant.
Nor could we expect the several State
legislatures TO pass uniform laws or to
refrain from amending them II once pass
ed. The States that are satisfied with
their present laws would hardly care to
annul them and enact others to oblige
their neighbors. And then there are OBJ
jections that go TO the root Of our system
OF federationl
For instance. a national divorce law
would be a precedent for a national mar
rage lava national marriage law, say, |
that would recognize miscegenation, which |
Is legal in some Of the States, but is a |
penit entiary offence In Virginia
Really, we think that all that can be |
done at present is to bring TO bear the |
pressure of decent public opinion, in the |
hope that the bad legislation may be |
gradually improved.
Even the States which make the divorce |
business q money-makng speciality must |
sooner or later feel the force of public |
opinion. Let the pulpit and the press
do their duty courageously and unceas-
ingly, and desirable changes in these OBJ
noxious and disgraceful laws will be grad
ually made Until then no greater or
further recognition than the letter Of the
law strictly demands should be given to
the DEGREES of the divorce mills OF The
West
Those mills have wrought great injury
to numerous persons. They are entitled
to but scant courtesy. They have de-
moralized many homes. wrecked many
families and broken many hearts. But
for them hundreds of men and women
who are now estranged would be living
together in tolerable harmony
Out with them, we say, but we know Of
no other way. at present to accomplish
that result than by the force Of public
opinion exerted unremittingly in all
proper places and at all times.