Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-05-25
MARRIAGE IN RUSSIA.
Women Absolutely Under the Sway of
Parents


As a daughter the Russian woman
is under the absolute sway of her
parents. Her coming of age makes no
alteration in her position. Until the
day OF her death, If she remains IN
married. the place she occupies in the
family life is a place of dependence
upon the will of her parents. When a
woman marries, she changes the au-
thority of parents for the no less IN
qualified authority OF husband. AS the
Russian statute suggestively puts it,
zone person cannot reasonably be ex-
pected to fully satisfy two such unlim-
tied powers as that of husband and
parent" The unlimited" power of
the parent therefore is withdrawn,
and that of the husband substituted.
She cannot leave him even to visit
neighboring town without a pass"
from him. He names the time she is
permitted to stay, and at the expira-
ton of the term she is bound to return
or get il renewed. A husband may
appear in a court of law as a witness
against his wife. but a wife is not per-
mitted to appear against her husband.
A woman's evidence is regarded also
as of less weight than that of a man.
when two witnesses do not agree"
the code runs. "the testimony Of an
adult outweighs that Of a child, and
the testimony of a man that of a wo-
man."
According TO the tenents of the Rus
sian church, marriage is a sacrament,
and is theoretically indissoluble. There
is no such thing as a civil marriage,
and divorce. except in one case. is
practically unobtainable by a woman.
The exception is the deprivation Of civ
il rights. and Punishment of the hus-
band. If the wife choose she can fol-
low her husband into exile; and Rus
sian literature is full of pathetic sto-
ries OF women tenderly nurtured.
Drawing the terrors of the long Siber-
ian march All children, however,
born in exile, are regarded as belong
ing to the lowest class of society. IL.
on the other hand, the wife seeks. on
the plea of her husbands Punishment,
divorce, the church in this case re-
lakes her discipline. and grants the
plea. Although the statute recognizes
adultery and desertion on the part of
the husband as grounds for divorce,
the law is beset with such difficulties
that IL is never resorted to except by
the wealthy. who can always make
the tardy wheels revolve more swiftly.
While divorce is difficult to obtain,
there are other means resorted TO
which reach the same destination only
by a different route. Laws, in Russia.
are made not to be broken, but to be
evaded. and both the civil and ecclesi-
astical authorities have learned the
art Of evasion TO perfection. Mar
riages may be annulled If any infor-
mality has occurred in them. and If
parties are willing. the rest is only
question OF money. In some parts of
the empire the marriage service is en-
acted with this contingency in view.
The certificate may be left undated.
or the age Of the contracting parties
omitted. In some parts Of Little Rus
STA. a relative. during the ceremony,
gives the bride a slap, to prove in
case of need that she was married
under eompulsion. Women who sue
coed in obtaining a separation from
their husbands on the ground of in
formality are received into society,
are allowed to marry again. and may
even be separated again without loss
of position. There is, however a more
healthy public spirit arising. which
tends strongly in favor of an adjust
ment OF the present laws.-Westmin
ster Review.