The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-09
THE PRIME NEED.

THE PRIME NEED
Each additional day brings proof Of the
necessity of some radical and effective ac-
ton to be taken by the several states to
promote uniformity of divorce in this
country
I Fhe divorce record which is being
made in this city every day may be ac-
cepted as fairly representative of the
situation as it exists in almost every COM
munity of any proportions In the Uni:ea
States outside of North and South Da-
kota; and, of course, IN those states the
situation is one which may be properly
regarded as a reproach to American So
ciety.
The last Minnesota legislature passed
certain divorce laws which were designed
to, increase the, responsibilities of the
marriage relation. 1t is now necessary
in this: state for persons securing a df-
vorce to wait six months before they
can enter the marriage relation anew
1t is also the law that any person de-
sorting his wife or family is guilty of
| felony, and may be, if his whereabouts
is known in any other state, a requisition
will be made for his return to stand trial
for the crime of desertion
Of what practical avail is such legis-
lation? None, whatever Amy divorced
person living in Minnesota may pass over
+1,-
after having registered in that state for
three days The requirement of the Min
nesota statute has NO virtue whatever
outside the limits of the state. Divorced
persons as a rule are not of the class
which has over much respect for social
or legal requirements affecting the mar
/ riage relation, and such a provision as
this will prove to. be practically a dead
/ letter. It's avoidance is so easy that it's
observance must be regarded as an ex-
| ceptionally commemorate deed on the part
| of any person affected by it.
There has never been any person who
deserted his wife or family and fed to
another state, who has been sent back
by state authority, and in all human
probability there never will be. The ex-
ecutive of the state on which the reuui-
| sition is made has a very large latitude
as to the degree Of regard which he be-
slows On the requisition or the authorities
of another state for the return of per-
son charged with crime. 1t may be re-
garded as an extraordinary extension of
executive authority to honor requisi-
tion against man on account of any
act Of his done elsewhere which is not
regarded as crime within the laws OF
the state in which he has sought refuge
This sort of patchwork legislation is
all very well in it's way. But it is una
vailabie. It will always so remain until
some intelligent action is taken looking
toward uniformity in the divorce regu-
Iations of the several states. II is quite
easy to secure such uniformity as will
at least put an end to the worst social
evils growing out of the divorce system.
1t is not necessary that congress should
( be called on to act. 1t has no jurfsdic-
ton in such matters and it should not
| be allowed to exercise any
It is not so long ago since a gathering
of state executives and attorney gem
erals was called to consider the trust
question. Such gatherings of municipal
and state officers for one purpose or
other. arc haiuor baT@ from, +;r,o - +;,,,c
It would be perfectly feasible to bring
| the governors of the several states or
| the law officials of such states together
| for the purpose of determining on a
/ few principles which would be made uni
versally applicable to marriage and di-
| voree- Such action would prepare the
| way for some rational and more extended
plan to be adopted later on which would
remove at least the chief absurdities and
lessen certain of the principal evils now
prevailing in the dissolution of the mar
riage tie.
| The student of the social question in
I volved cannot close his eyes to the sig
nifcance Of the daily increase which pre-
walls in the number of divorces. It
means that the restraints of married
| life are not thought endurabIe by a
| fair proportion OF those who become hus-
band and wife. But it also means that
| persons who are, nl-mated in marriage
are becoming less and less disposed to
make the sacrifices which become neees-
sary for the good Of children and from
one or other social consideration, but
insist on the resumption Of their lib
erty. Since the marriage relation is US