Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-20
Address by Justice Brewer at Fore
fathers Day Banquet.
THE MODERN TENDENCY TO DIVORCE
Remarks by Representative Brosiius
and Other Exercises.
LIST OF THE ESTS

|
toms of the present time. Speeches were
made by Associate Justice Brewer of the
United States Supreme Court. and Repre-
| sentative Brosius of Pennsylvania, in which
were depicted the sturdy qualities of tie
| strong men ana women who gave their i'm
| press to American character in the infancy
| of the republic and before the revolutionary
| struggle Mr.. Justice Brewer dwelt upon
the home, the prevalence of divorce in the
present day and its absence when the ma
| ton young.
| The meeting of the club was held at the
| First Congregational Church, corner IF 10Th
and G streets After short business ses-
sion the company assembled in the hall pre-
pared for the banquet, which was enjoyed
| by all. The program, arranged by Secre
tary G. A. L. Mortified. included reci
tation, The Name of Old Glory" by Maj.
| John Tweedale, and a reading. The Real
George Washington" John Habberton). by
| Mr.. Ralph jefferson. The music was by
the University Park Temple Choir.
Home-Making Qualities.
| In his Introductory address Justice Brew
er dwelt upon the home-making and home
| loving qualities of the race that settled in
America
1.-The pilgrims treated the family and not
the individual as the unit of society," said
Judge Brewer. They learned from that
book which, as other people on the face
| of the earth they believed in, that God
! setteth the solitary in families, and to
| them society was an association of families.
| Fortunately there was an abundance OF
| room, and so each family established
separate home and within its walls that
| family maintained an independent existence
and developed its life along Its own pecu-
liar lines. 1t was impressed upon the mind
| of every young man and young woman th1t
| it was a duty to marry and establish
| b4y,, ", lni s
! SGmed and sacrifices made. 1t was not a
mere matter of pleasure or convenience nut
| a duty And somehow there mas always
| been to me a rare charm in that WORD:
There's life alone in duty done,
And rest alone in striving.
Marriage Out of Fashion.
This belief that place and relation, as
well as work in life We're questions to be
determined in the sacred light of duty, was
significant of the pilgrim character. and en-
tered into and was manifested in all their
home life. AS a consequence there We're
proportionately fewer single men and Wo-
men than today and divorces were almost
unheard of. They meant to be coworkerS
with the Almighty in setting and keeping
the solitary in families. Are you aware to
what extent marriage is going out OF fash-
ion and divorces becoming the frequent end
of married life? Let me give you a few
figures from the census of 1890. The total
number of adults, twenty years of age and
over was SO $40 4S7, of whom S,610.243 were
unmar ried. 81 999 261 married, the balance
being divorced and widowed: so that over
one-fourth Of the total marriageable popu-
la ton never assumed the duties and respon-
sibiities of married life Dividing the
adults by sex, there were males, II ,529, 49,
of whom 5,434, SIG remained single, while
only II, 1SS,459 were married. In other
words, nearly one-third remained single,
and only about two-thirds We're married.
More significant do the figures become when
we examine the satisfies within a narrower
limit of years. Between the ages of twenty
and twenty-nine years inclusive there were
1903, 2O4 males, of whom 3,746257 were sin
gle and only 20O1 ,155 married. In other
words, within those years Of vigorous early
manhood there We're nearly twice as many
single as married persons, and while the
proportion Of married among females
greater still, of those within the same ages
more than two-tifths remained single. BY
the same census, out of the adult popula-
tion-that is, those of twenty years and
over-there were 19,654 divorced persons
and of 1921 .249 females between the ages of
twenty and twenty nine years, inclusive,
1913 were divorced. Do you wonder, in
view of these figures that the question is
not infrequently asked, is marriage fail
ure?"
The speaker said there was something to
sadden in the thought of decreasing and
failing marriages, for when home and fam
lily go out of the world. purity and virtue
will go with them. He was aware that this
so many avenues of occupation are open to
women, and while he would not stay the
progress in tina; direction, he believed it 20
be the duty of both man and woman to seek
marriage and a home. In the New England
home there were no idlerS.
Criticism of the Bible Discussed.
Speaking of modern criticism of the Bible
he said: Il want to make suggest ion of
emendation: Let the sentence pronounced
upon Adam be no longer read as a punish
ment, but benediction; for the great beatI-
tude of the race is the necessity for labor.
II it be true that through her curiosity
Mother Eve drove the race out of a weed
less garden and a toilless life, 1 want 10
say, bless the old lady for it,
Mr.. Brewer approved the law of Kansas
which exempts the home from the claims of
creditors and makes it inalienable without
the joint consent Of husband and wife.
Representative Brosius told amusing anec-
dotes and stories illustrating the home vir-
tues Of the early days in New England, and
paid high tribute to the good qualities of
New England settlers.
Those Present.
The following were present: David J.
Brewer. Marriott Brosius, Ralph Jefferson
Mr.. and Mrs. George A. L. Moorefeld J. L.
Ewel, W. S. Ewell. J. w. Chickering,,
Frances E. Chickering, Mrs. N. NJ. This
sell, w. c. Tyler, Mr.. and Mrs. o. NJ. Nc
Pherson, Miss Maud Mcpherson, Mr.. and
Mrs. H. F. Chatfield. John Tweedale Rev.
8. NJ. Newman. Mr. James Henry Moser,
Miss Scoville of Connecticut, Mr.. 8. M.
Brosius, Dr.. Alice Brosius. Rev; Henry P.
Hieley, Mr.. and Mrs. George E. Walker,
Miss Helen A. Skinner. A. N. Skinner. Mrs.
A. N. Skinner, Mr.. and Mrs: A. B. Chat
field, Alfred Wood, Mr.. and Mrs. Merrill E.
Gates, Col. and Mrs. G. w. Baird, Mr.. and
Mrs. Isaac Clark, Miss Clark. F. M; Heaton.
Anna A. Elder, Mamie White. Minnie L.
Drane, Mrs D. L. Coe VIM. A. Coe, j. H.
Blodgett, Mrs. J: H. Blodgett. Mrs M. J.
Seymour, Mr.. and Mrs. o. H. Reed, Horace
NJ. Fulton. Nelson Wilson, Mrs. Elizabeth
Wilson. Miss Jane T. Rugg. Miss g.. c.
Rugg, Mrs. Josephine s. Ball. Miss Jen-
nette Williamson, Mrs. Lula Joy Brooks
Miss Louisa A. Hamer. Miss Lottie Wal
lace, Mr.. ]. T. Fox. Miss Louisa T. Smith,
Mr.. Walt. B. Hayson. Mr.. Walter Frank |
lin, Mr.. and Mrs. H. E. Sawyer. Mr.. and
Mrs Albert P. Eastman, Mr.. M. W. Bald |
win Miss Gertrude A. Davis Mr.. and Mrs. |
A. S. Caywood, Mr.. and Mrs. Chas w. Da-
HOTELS.
ORIENTAL RESTAURANT, s2e Pa AVE NV.