The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-03
BAD COUNTRY
TO MARRY IN.
French Laws Make Il Very
Hard for Loving Couples.
Photo BY Elu.tt 4 Fry. london

People do get married in France; but
II is a wonder how they manage II. They
do things strangely i'm France. The turn
OF mind which makes criminal trial
proceed on the theory that the accused
Is guilty until proven innocent may ac-
count for the difflvulties that beset the
path OF honorable lovers.
To an American mind il appears that
there Is deliberate attempt TO prevent
marriage rather than TO encourage the
institution. French statesmen have been
wrestling with the desperate population
problem that nation is facing The death
rate exceeds the birth hate.
Celibacy is preferred by an alarmingiy
large portion. Some hope TO scourge
bachelors into marriage by imposing an
excessive tax. The rational thing to do
is TO remove the barriers that now deter
the young Frenchman from undertaking
to become pater familias. .
In America lovers may resolve on the
instant TO link their lives and fortunes.
They proceed TO the nearest courthouse,
obtain license by answering few for
NAL questions, go Immediately before an
| alderman, Judge or clergyman authorized
20 solemnize the rite and a few minutes
later the lovers find themselves fastly
Hlu DDihIdUlg DOhnh lbI iiif iFNA. VI tii'i
natural lives, The whole proceeding may
not require more than an hour of time,
| and all fees need not exceed So
In some states--New York. for instance
| the process may even be shortened. The
| resident permanent or transienD OF New
! York city Is not required to obtain "A IL
| cense or consult any authorities. save the
| clergyman or official who performs the
ceremony.
n the clergyman or official IS satisfied
4 that the applicants are qualified candi-
dates for matrimony, he may instantly
| make them one. duly reporting his act
10 the board of health.
a TRYING EXPERIENCE
| couple may illustrate how differently
| they do things I'm France. lie was a
I resident OF an interior city Ills sweet
| heart had been living abroad with her
| parents, but not in France.
They planned 10 meet in Paris, be mar
ricd. and spend their honeymoon on the
! continent. Having heard that the path to
! iIymen's altar abroad was not as straight
as a church aisle. the youth instituted
| Inquiries of the French consul resident
| IN his city.
| The representative OF the Latin repub-
1 lc was an agreeable parsonage who had
= spent many years of his life In the coun-
| try aud professed 10 know all the ins and
| outs OF the marriage code. 1T IL very
\ simple matter" he said. "and will re-
| auire but n few trifing formalities"
| Finding that the couple were not Catho-
| lies. ne assured the youth that that fact
| would simplify matters considerably.
| "The church Is rather particular, he ad-
| mittcd, and Catholic France Is more
| particular with the children or the church
! and native French than with Protestant
4 aliens"
! Iie Vas positive long residence IN
| France was not eXacted, but that fore
| igiicrs could be married within .wo wecss
| after reaching Paris. BeinS provided
| W th Cettain essential dociIincntT. Il would
| only be necessary for the young man u
| 20 before the chief official In the town
| hall I'm his district dherc are several of
these town halls IN Paris. one FOR each
| of tho municipal districts into which the
| city l. dividetp.h file his documents. and
declare his intention OF marrying
The bans would be published by posting
| FOR at least eleven days. two Sundays oe-
| ing included IN tho eleven. az the end OF
| which time the couple might appear be-
! fore the head official and he married. IN
| France the civil marriage takes prece-
| ocncc II the couple DO not care for IN,
! ecclesiastical Endorsement the civil mar
! riagc only Is necessary.
Most persons. however, prefer re't
eious ceremony ALSO and that may foi
iow the civil ceremony. but may not pre-
! c. ie 10.
| FORNIALfT1ES TO BE OBSERVED
II was no easy matter 10 secure the cs
sentiai documents tho consul referre,
TO These included tho formal consen
OF the parents OF both parties dui,
sworn to.althoueh the couple we're OF lc
eaI aec and certificates Of birth. sworn q
by two parties.
a. the youths residence was dls'an
from that OF his parents and those Of Ia
mad and iu different consular districts
there lad to be q vast amount OF swear
| lnJots.mtnts between The consais of th