The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-18
Bill Has Been Amended to Permit
Legal Separations for One
Cause Only. :,
MANY LETTERS ARE RECEIVED.
He Declares His Views Are Held
by Many Business aud Pro
fessional Men Through
out the State.
BY A STATE CORRESPONDENT.

BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Jefferson City, Jan. N.-Colonel John L.
Crtp's bill repeating the divorce law OF the
State has created more discussion than even
the senatorial Representative from Jackson
County anticipated when he let his flyer
loose in the House.
Since the papers first published the fact
that he had introduced such a bill. his mail
has increased at the rate of about a dozen
letters a day. As the Colonel does not neg
lect his letter writing. his share of the
postage appropriation is decreasing at .
rapid rate.
The bill repeating section 292i, chapter
20. of the Revised Statutes. was introduced
at the same time with another, which pro-
vided that public officials could appoint only
one relative to office. Both bills attracted
attention. but OF the two the sweeping
character Of the divorce law aroused an in
terest which has not abated but increased.
To understand properly just what Colonel
Crisp proposed In his original bill it should
be understood that the present divorce law
of Missouri L. enc OF the most liberal to be
found in the United States. The causes for
divorce are set forth in the section Of the
statutes which Colonel Crisp proposes to
repeal
DIVORCE LAW.
The section follows:
When p marriage has been. or shall be.
DolemntESd between two pernons, and either party
at the time OF the contract of marriage was, and
still is tnpotent; or had Q wife or husband liy-
ting At the time Of the marriage; or has COM
United adultery since the marriage; or has abb
scented himself or herself without q reasonable
cause for the space OF one year: or, during said
marriage shall have been convicted Of felony or
infamous crime: or snail have been addicted TO
habituai drunkenness for the space OF one year:
or shall be guilty OF such cruel or barbarous
treatment a. to encangsr the lie Of the other: or
shall offer such in6ignlties to the other as shall
render his or her condition tntolerab.e; or when
the husband shall be guilty Of such conduct az
TO constitute him 4 vaxrant within the meaning
OF the law respecting vagrants: or where. prior
TO the contract Of marriage, or the determination
thei eof, either party shall have been convicted
OF a felony or Infamous crime in any State, Ter
ritory or country without knowledge on the part
of the other party of such fact at the time Of
such marriage: or where the intended wife. at
the time OF contracting marriage. or at tho time
Of the solcrnnization thereof shall have been
pregnant by any other man than her Intended
husband. and without his knowledge at the TINA
OF such soemnization-the injured marty. for any
OF the causes above enumerated. may obtain .
divorce from the bones OF matrimony: but no
such divorce shah affect the legitimacy OF the
children OF such marriage.
All of which section OF. the law came
down from the Revised Statutes OF 1889.
So much attention did tine original bin OF
Colonel Crisp attract thar, before II was
read for the second time. he withdrew It
Tor amendment. n now the bill allows
only one cause for divorce. hat provided in
Matthew v, a. 1t is now in the hands of
tho Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.
which must mako Recommendations before
tho House can pass on the measure.
COLONEL CR1sP's VIEWS.
Colonel Crisp may not have been IN
earnest regarding the bill when he intro
ouced 1t, but he now claims that he Is con.
WINGED the bill should and could be passed.
Il made the amendment" he said; srbe-
cause there are those who believe that the
exception noted In the Bible should still be
the law Of tho land, However. i have nv