The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-10-26

1uent administrations, which did moth
ng but talk, talk, talk. Even at this
ate day and with the Edmunds act in
force the evil has not been wholly ex-
tirpated. Polygamy in Utah, though
outlawed, is still practiced in secret. 1t
has warred against the marriage rela-
tien throughout the land. 1t is impos- |
sible to have such an awful sewer of in |
iquity sending up it's miasma, which is |
waited by the winds north, south, east
and west without the whole land being
by it.
Another influence that has warred
against the marriage relation in this
has been pustulous literature,
with It's millions of sheets every week
choked with stories of domestic wrongs
and infidelities and massacres and out
RACES, until it is wonder to me that
there are any decencies or any common
sense left on the subject of marriage.
One-half of the news stands of our great
cities reek with the filth.
The congress of the United States
needs to move for a change of the ma
tional constitution and then to appoint
acommittee-notmade up of single gen.
tlemen, but of men of families, and their
families in Washington-who shall pre-
pare a good, honest, righteous, compre-
hensive, uniform law that will control
everything from Sandy Hook to the
Golden Gate. That will put an end to
brokerages in marriage. That will send
divorce lawyers into a decent business.
That will set people agitated for many
years on the question of how they shall
get away from each other to planning
how they can adjust themselves to the
more or less unfavorable circumstances.
Rigorous divorce law will also hinder
women from the fatal mistake of mar
rying men to reform them. If young
man, by 25 years of age or 80 years OF
age, have the habit Of strong drink fixed
on him, he is as certainly bound for a
drunkard's grave as that train start
ing out from the Grand Central depot
at eight o'clock tomorrow morning is
bound for Albany. The train may not
reach Albany. for it may be thrown
from the track. The young man may
not reach drunkard's grave, for some
thing may throw him off the iron track
of evil habit. But the probability is
that the train that starts tomorrow
morning at eight o'clock for Albany will
get there, and the probability is that
the young man who has the habit of
strong drink fixed on him before IS or
80 years of age will arrive at drunk
ards grave. She knows he drinks, al
though he tries to hide it by chewing
cloves. Everybody knows he drinks.
Parents warn; neighbors and friends
warn. She will marry him; she will re-
form him. If she is unsuccessful in the
experiment, why, then, the divorce law
will emancipate her, because habitual
drunkenness is cause for divorce in
Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, Connect.
cut and nearly all the states. So the
poor thing goes to the altar of sacri.
flee. If you will show me the poverty
struck streets in any city, will show
Iyou the homes of>the women who mar
ried men to reform them. In one case
out of ten thousand it may be success
full experiment. I never saw the sue
cessful experiment. But have rigor
Gus divorce law, and that woman viii
isay: ''If l am affianced to that man, i
is for life, and if now, in the ardor O.
his young love and / the prize to be won
he will not give up his cups, when HI
has won the prize surely he will no
give up his cups" mo, sir; you are al
ready married to the club, and you ar
married to that evil habit, and so yo'
are married twice, and you are biga
mist. Col"
A rigorous divorce law will also d
, much to hinder hasty and inconsiderat
marriages. Under the impression tina
one can be easily released, people ente
the relation without inquiry and with
out reflection. Romance and impuls
, rule the day. Perhaps the only groun
; for the marriage compact is that sh
likes his looks. and he admires th
graceful way she passes around the ie
cream at the picnic! 1t is all they kno7
, about each other. 1t is all the prepar'
!, ton for life. A man not able to pay hi
own board bill, with not dollar in b
possession, will stand at the altar an
take the loving hand and say: "Wit
n all my worldly goods thee endow."
;, woman that could not make loaf I
;, bread to save her life will swear to lo'
! and keep him in sickness and in healt
= A Christian will marry an atheist, ar
= that always makes conjoined wretche
ness: for if a man does not believe the
! is God he is neither to be trusted wit
dollar nor with your lifelong hapI
- ness. Having read much about love
= a cottage, people brought up in ca
!, will go and starve in a hovel. Runaw'
- matches and elopements, nine hundr
! and ninety-nine out of thousand
!. which mean death and hell, multipl
:. ing on all hands. You see them in eve
~ days newspapers.
II Our ministers in some regions ha
b. no defense such as they have in 9th
is regions where the banns must be pl
20 yiously published and an officer OF
n law must give certificate that all
.y-kx