The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21

The women of the country are filling
the land with their protests to Congress
against allowing the polygamous Roberts
of Utah to take the seat In the House to
which he has been elected. Would they
not do the country an equal if not
greater, service if they were to make an
effort to have a uniform divorce law in
this country, a law that would permit a
divorce for one cause only namely adul-
terry? In an interesting article on obi
vorce," by Cardinal Gibbons, in Sundays
New York World this statement is made:
THE reckless facility with which divorce
is procured In this country is an evil
scarcely less deplorable than Mormon
ism; indeed, 1t is in some respects more
dangerous than the latter, for divorce has
the sanction of the civil law, which Nor
monism has not. Is not the law Of divorce
a virtual liberation of Mormonism in a
modified form? , Mormonism consists in
simultaneous polygamy, while the law of
divorce practically leads to successive
polygamy."
The cardinal points out in his article
that there are twenty-five causes for di-
vorce in this country. most of them of a
very trifiing character. and in some of the
states the power of granting a divorce is
left 10 the discretion of the Judge. From
the statistics which the cardinal uses it
appears that the number of divorces an
nually granted is increasing much faster
aI,a
of divorces was 1887; in 1876. 1880; in 1877,
1851. and In 1886 1855. II is pretty safe
to assume that last year the number APP
preached closely to 10000.
Thinking men and women may well feel
alarmed. and ask where this divorce evil
is to stop. 1t has not been so very long
since a divorced woman, even though an
| innocent victim, was to a certain extent
| under the ban of society. She was barely
tolerated Now, however, no disgrace is
attached 10 a divorce. and a divorced wo-
man is as well thought of apparently as
If she had never been acquainted with di-
vorce proceedings. Only a couple of weeks
ago minister of Congregational Church
"a minister who stands high in the com
munity in which he resides-ofIiciated
at the marriage of a man and
woman who are among the most widely
known people of the city of New York
within couple of hours after the woman
! had been divorced. He knew that the
divorce had been obtained in New York
where there is only one cause for divorce
namely, adultery The president of Prince
ton College in his address TO the
students of that institution last Sunday
referred to this divorce, and in the course
Of his remarks, said; 1T is time Chris
tians turned their attention to question.
Of fundamental morals" According to hi:
view-and his view is the correct one-tht
evils growing out of the ease with which
divorces can be obtained in the variou.
states of the union are "a disgrace TO civ
Ilizaton."
What is to be thought of the condition
of society which tolerates-not only toler
ates. but receives with open arms-per
sons who are parties to evils which ar,
"a disgrace to civilization" and what /!
10 be thought of ministers who encouras,
these evils by failing to put the stamt
OF their disapproval on them-who. in fact
sanction them by uniting in marriage thos,
who help 10 undermine the family. so
A'eiety and civilization! If Christian min