The Yale expositor., 1899-09-29

these evils. and the only way to clear
them out or to correct them is by easy |
divorce" Well, before we yield to that |
cry. let us find out how easy it is now. |
I have looked over the laws of all the
states, and l find that while in some |
states it is easier than in others, In |
every state AZ is easy. The state OF |
Illinois. through its legislature, recites |
a long list of proper causes for divorce,
and then closes up by giving to the
courts the right to make decree OF
divorce in any case where they deem 1t
exponent. After that you are not sur
prised at the announcement that in one
county of the state of Illinois, in one
year, there were 1913 divorces. If you
want to know how easy it is, you have
only to look over the records of the
states. In Massachusetts, coo divorces
in one year; in Maine, AIS in one year;
in Connecticut, 401 divorces in one
year; in the city of San Francisco, 1873
divorces in one year; in New England,
in one year, 2,113 divorces, and in
twenty years in New England, 10000.
Is that not easy enough? If the same
ratio continue the ratio of multiplied
divorce and multiplied causes of di-
vorce, we are not far from the time
when our courts will have to set apart
whole days for application, and all you
will nave to prove against man will
be that he left his slippers in the mid
die of the floor, and all you will have
to prove against a woman will be that
her husbands overcoat was buttonless.
Causes of divorce doubled in a few
years. doubled in France, doubled in
England. and doubled in the United
States. 70 show how very easy it is,
have to tell you that in Western Re
serve, ONO, the proportion of divorces
to marriages celebrated was in one
year one to eleven; in Rhode Island,
one to thirteen; in Vermont, one to
fourteen. Is not that easy enough?
| want you to notice that frequency
of divorce always goes along with the
dissolutenes3 of society. Rome for 800
years had not one case OF divorce.
Those were her days Of glory and
virtue. Then the reign OF vice began
and divorce became epidemic. II you
want to know how rapidly the empire
went down, ask Gibbon. Do you know
how the Reisa of Terror was intro
duced in France? BY 10000 cases OF
divorce in one year in Paris. What we
want in this country, and in al! lands,
is that divorce be made more and more
difficult Then people before they enter
that relation will be persuaded that
there will probably be no escape from
il. EXCEPT through the door of the sep
ulchre. Then they will pause on the
verge of that relation. until they are
fully satisfied that it is best, and thai
it is right, and that it is happiest
Then we shall have no more marriage!
in fun. Then men and women Will no
enter the relation with the idea it !:
only a trial trip, and If they do not lik
IT, they can get out at the first land
ing. Then this whole question will b.
taken out of the frivolous into the tire
mendous, and there will be no NOR
Joking about the blossoms in bride
hair than about the cypress on collin
What we want. is that the congress
of the United States move for tn
changing the national constitution S
[ that a law can be passed which shall b
uniform all over the country, and wha
[ shall be right in one state shall b
. right in all the states, and what
!. wrong in one state will be wrong in q
c the states. How is it now? If part
@ in the marriage relation gets dissati!
@ fed. it is only necessary TO move
g another state to achieve liberatio
@ from the domestic tie, and divorce
effected so easily that the first or
= party knows of it is by seeing it
= the newspaper that Rev. DR.. Somebot
) a few days or weeks afterward intr'
: duced into a new marriage relation
! member of the household who went c
on a pleasure excursion to Newport
a business excursion to Chicago. Ma
ried at the brides house. No card
- There are states or the union whit
:, practically put q premium upon &
: disintegration of the marriage relatio
,f while there are other states, like I
q state of New York, which has the pr
20 eminent idiocy of making maria
n lawful at IL and IA years Of age.
n. The cong ,ss of the United Stat
~ needs TO move for change of the 4
n tional constitution, and then to
in point a committeeman made up
tic single gentlemen. but Of men of fan
LII lies. and their families in Washingt
ng who shall prepare a good, hone
st righteous, comprehensive uniform Il
ed that will control everything FRI
m. Sandy Hook to Golden Gate. That "
al put an end to brokerages in maria
NV That will send divorce lawyers into
,ss decent business. That will set p
an ple agitated for many years on
cd question of how they shall get aV
es, from each other to planning how Il
IRE can adjust themselves to the more
in less unfavorable circumstances.
ry. More difficult divorce will put
an estoppal to a great extent upon m
pa riage as a financial speculation. Tn
Sc are men who go into the relation
up as they go into Wall street to purch
an shares. The female to be invited !
l. L. Il. L.. ~ 4