Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-17
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

WHnntNuG FNO 0sSShSS'
OF late there has been much discus
eion by the press and pulpit of divorce
and restriction of the present liberty TO
marry when and whom the candidates
for the matrimonial state may agree
upon. The claim is made in support OF
the apparent necessity Of more strih-
gent state supervision OF marriage anu
divorce that more than 100000 divorces
have been granted in this country WIN
in the past twenty years. Ministerial
associations have pledged themselves
against performing the marriage cere-
snony for Divorces and minor poiili-
cal organization thought 1t proper TO
touch upon the marriage question: IN 'iie
platform built al its latest convention.
Much of this discussion is from
prenafse that divorce is an unmixed evil,
en- assumption utterly Inwarranted IN
logic or history. That It has its pro-
portion of evil and that rational iesis-
latton on the matter Of divorce Is
needed none will deny, but the tolh
eliminate of divorce or the repression
of marriage as has beer advocated by
few OF the most "a Heal refonpers
would have an effect upon society thor
pughly degenerative in It's tendency.
To restrict marriage and eliminate
divorce is TO encourage immortality
Legislation that deals with the passions
and appetites of humanity must guide,
not drive, must deal with the material
in hand, not attempt 10 create. Art
changes, but nature Is irimutable. The
world grows away from theories and
laws. but the primal human instincts
are as fresh in the beginning of the
twentieth century as when the world
began. Morality. like law itself, is
creature of education and civilization
and while legislation may and does re-
press crime ii is not the foundation OF
morality, but one OF its .esults. Mar
rage does not always mean a home, but
II stands for civilization and decency
as a preventive of grosser immortality
Divorce is tie protection of the wife
against enforced association with a
brute or drunkard. Give us uni
form divorce law for the entire coun-
Try strict enough 10 rcpress useless
separation, but sufficiently open to af-
ford release from marriage in cases
where separation is justified by the
evidence.
The true solution of the marriage
md divorce question lies with the
homes more than with TIE legislatures
II is more a matter for education and
hraining than of legislation. The girl
whose early education has been gained
On the street, whose sa'tishness has
been gratified at the expense of her
parents and whose preparation for
with the common duties of the home
keeper is a standing candidate for the
divorce court. The young man who has
grown up without responsibility, who
has wasted his youth and pawned his
manhood to idle and dissolute habits is
another. The ministers who are ask
ing the state to prevent divorce and re-
press marriage have their responsibility
in these cases, many of whom have
been of their flock and under their spir-
itual supervision. The parents are
mostly responsible for the negligence
and mistaken kindness that units chill
dren for the duties of life. Good ia
theirs usually train good husbands and
good mothers usually produce good
wives. Like prohibition. the question
OF marriage and divorce seems to rest
more upon the early training of the in
dividual than with the law. Educate
not legislate, is the motto for the re-
former.