The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-13

Discussing the subject. Some Social
In the North American Review for
October. sounds an alarm against the
insidious ana widespread undermining
Of the American home. The explana-
ton for the disintegration Of family
life he ascribes to the enormous exas-
geration Of individualism developed In
our own century. Out Of the struggle
for freedom has issued the triumph OF
license; free thought has been trans
lated to mean free love, and the re-
straints Of august and eternal sane
tions have under the pretext Of the
rights Of the individual been thrown
down and trampled under foot.
Bishop Potter's utterances will find
support from thoughtful Americans,
who have watched with grave concern
the decay Of the home and family in
nuence. The article in the North Amer
lean Review expands the arguments
advanced by Bishop Potter during the
Episcopal diocesan convention In New
York against the laxity Of marriage and
divorce laws. and the rebuke admins
tered to high society for its work In
"corrupting the morals OF the COM
munity and the manners Of the age"
After giving a powerful illustration
OF the deplorable consequences OF
woman's movement In the direction of
individual rights. Bishop Potter says:
"And so. a wise foresight will see that
he Is the truest friend OF the republic who
strives to rebuild the home and re-create
the family. In this connection It would
be worth while for some one to gather and
tabulate for W. our American statistics
OF hotel life. The proportion OF married
people who. in cities and towns, live IN
hotels II coming to be one Of the most
curious and grave phenomena OF our mod
ern civilization. The proportion Of such
persons who have no children or whose
children are In schools or seminaries would
also be an interesting statistic; and the
plea. in such cases. that the city Is no
place for children-as II mere hyglenfc
conditions could supply the place OF home
love and training-would bring Us face 10
face with the most pathetic revelation Of
all
Directly related to the subject OF the
home Is an article written by Bishop
Potter for the New York Journal on the
evils OF divorce. He finds that the
waning influence Of the church has
been followed by the decay OF the au-
gust sacredness OF marriage; but at the
same time he realizes that NO legisla-
ton, whether ecclesiastical or civil,
will. under present conditions. be Of
any avail. 1T will be quite In vain"
he says. unless We see TO II that those
reasonable precautions Of forethought,
inquiry. publicity and OF intelligent I'M
Outstanding Of the obligations to be as
sumed which once obtained, have pre-
OF our fathers time. but that spirit OF
individuaiism which, In the case OF au-
thor!ty Of the church would brook
none Of these things. has swept them
away
X would seem. as pointed out by
Bishop Potter. that the deplorahla ten
deney Of the day can be checked only
by bringing the individual TO a proper
realization OF the responsibilities aris-
Ing from married life. That Is a mat
ter for the consideration Of the law
maker, the ecclesiastsc and the edu-
Gator; and I: should be borne In mind
that, while divorces are obtained with
utmost freedom. restrictions % divorce
shcgld b. accompanied by correspond
ms restrictions 81 hasty. ill-advised and
Incompatible marriages,