The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-12-05
REV. BOYD.
continued from first page1

& unDI0nt aOAC
nj women, as I am also convinced
,sst easy divorce laws are bad for
society, yet it some choose e differ
I'M me on this and some on that.
~ not sure that / have any
-, RIGHT to compel either to
ADOPT nv views. It 50 happens
hat | am just now with the local
naiority on the polygamy question,
nd between us we have enacted
laws to compel polygamists e con-
farm to our views, but on the di-
vorce question, ] am with hope
,.ss1v small and apparently rapidly
decreasing minority, consequently,
HELPLESS. Judging from the past I
,nav vet wake up to find myself
with the minority on both questions.
# I assume the present majority
attitude, l am driven to conclude
that the thing which God counter
snced and blessed has become rank
immortality while the thing which
1esus Christ emphatically con-
demued is assuming the aspect of
exalted virtue. Is it not, after all,
matter of majority lule-a mere
act of human legislation-the will
Of the crowd expressed in civil law,
moral because of the bullets beh ind
the ballots? Can any of us tell
what is right or wrong, moral or
immoral, touching freedom of sex
raj citations, until the last earthly
legislature shall have adjour ned
sine die? ....
Can you tell me upon what prin-
ciple of morality houses of assigna-
ton are legalized, while polygamous
households are outlawed? l would
be glad to have some gentleman
who is busy with his anti mormon
crusade, pause long enough to can
didly answer that question.
Among the pastoral people of
Tibet, men being from home a
great DEAL polyandry is quite the
fashion, because the women like 10
have a man about the house all the
time. In some countries the bust
ness of buying and selling wives is
still quite brisk; and in certain To-
calities they maintain the sociable
custom Of loaning wives to visitors
who come unprovided This, l
think, is carrying hospitality to the
point of prodigality; but the old
Scotch custom of Misunderstanding" "
whereby men and women could
take mates on a years trial before
marrying, certainly has the merit
Of prudence. 1t is well within legis.
ltive authority, State or. Nation al,
to recognize, legalize and thereby
morallze any or all of those marital
customs, and when we recall that
something over century ago slav-
cry was Constitutionalized, and less
than fifty years ago, canonized,
who can venture to guess what will
be the civil, moral or canon law
OF matrimony a decade hence?
1t is remarkable fact that with
the progress of emancipation of wo,
men has grown in favor the doctrin e
mat marriage is purely a matter Of
CIVIL contract, binding only accord
ing to the terms of the indenture,
suo subject to modification or dis
solution at pleasure of the contract.
ing parties. Nevertheless, as a
matter Of much vaunted public pol,
ICY nearly all legislatures in thi:
country, while admitting that mar
mage is properly a subject of civil
contract, limit the right of contract
SS 10 the number of individuals who
msy mutually bind themselves ant
'ne causes for which they may sep
"'a'e' Yet, l have never been abb,
" perceive the rationale of a publ,
pOl'cy which justifes licensing
.ooSeS OF prostitution, while inhib
lung polygamous contracts. 1
seems to me that a social bod,
"a