Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-06

receives a daily mail of more than a hun
dred admiring letters from individuals in
every country of the world. He is -, I ne.
this fact that he judges not by law, but
by his conscience.
Secure in his irremovable judgeship, Pres
ident Magnaud deals out law like any east
ern Cadi. A poor girl stole bread for her
self and her child; and he acquitted her, In
spite of fierce prosecution. This began
his great work of compassion. man
walked into a wine shop and ordered
plain dish of boiled beef. After eating it,
he said he had no money. President Mag
maud acquitted him. man begging on the
street was brought to him. He left him go
and gave him half dollar He has strained
the law in favor of poor servants and APP
prentices. He has acquitted men and wo-
men held for acts of violence which they
have done under some great proVocatlon-
In a thousand cases he has set the letter
of the law aside in favor of a spirit Of
compassion and what might be called high
minded equity. Naturally, when cases are
appealed, Judge Magnaud's decisions are
reversed Nevertheless his influence is
great.
Now, the latest act of this Good Judge"
has been to grant a divorce to a couple on
the simple ground that they desired 1t.
Thus he comes we'll into the movement of
the Brothers Marguerite.
Two New Causes.
The Brothers Marguerite propose two
new causes for divorce:
l. Divorce by mutual consent; and
2 Divorce on the demand of one of the
two parties.
The first is easy to comprehend. Indeed,
it amounts to little more than relieving
a large proportion of present day divorces
of their element of connivance. Example:
A husband and wife desire to free them
selves; and the husband consents to make
the evidence.
Divorce ION the demand of one however,
is very different proposition; and If the
law-which is violently opposed by all
conservatives-be finally passed, 1t will
work striking change in all the French
ideals of family.
The happy young couple that led the
procession down the steps of the Madeleine
did more than mutually consent TO nVe
together when they married Not only dld
they unite themselves, but they united
their two families
Marie brought Gustave a dot of 100000
francs in government per cents! whis-
pered guests together.
"GustaVe presented her with jewels to
the amount of 10000 francs!' whispered
others.
"Marie's uncle furnished their apartment
new throughout, including silver!'
Yes, but Gustave's uncle gave them
u, 000-franc Panhard automobile!'
'They say his father decided them the
Dieppe vilan'
Has Gustave him self an Independent in
come?'
Yes, he owns two apartment houses in
the Rue du Bac.'
A Mutual System.
Now while it is true that Maries dot
of $4,000 francs in government bonds
handed over to the bridegroom to dispose
of freely, so that were he SO disposed he
might gamble it away at baccarat, it is
no less true that the French common law
gives Marie, to secure it, a first mortgage
on the whole of Gustaves real estate. Up
till now French marriage is very mutual
system
In a word the French family has always
been kind of domestic insurance society.
What is the object of the dot? TO defray
household expenses. The husband becomes
a trustee for it, not for his wife. but for
both of them together, and not for both of
them together only, but for both their
parents also, should the old folks come to
need it!
Therefore:
mcrtgaged because in buying wife" he
has bought mortgage with her: and
CD If required, he must give his father
in-law and mother-in-law a place in his
he usehold; or
(c) Find them a home. Otherwise they
can sue him and recover enough for their
annual sustensnce, according to the hus-
bands rank in life.
The only solace of the husband-in adj
dition to the cold cash of the dots that
If he or his wife aSe in need, they can
compel their legal parents to support them
in an analogous manner. AS for the bride
grooms parents, they have always the
same claims on and duties toward their
son; but they may not of course, hope
ANYTHING from the dot fund brought by the
girl to their son.
A New Trust.
Here is the strongest kind of motive for
French married couples to keep together.
Now, suppose a child is born. Instantly,
by the silent. infexible operation of the
law, a new trust springs into existence.
The little child puts forth his innocent
finger and says to his parents:
II forbid you ever to dispose of more
than one half of your property by giving
or willing it away
A French father cannot cut his child Off
with shilling. He must leave him Cor
them) at least one-half of the family for
tune And a wasteful or inexperienced
husband may be saved from running the
marriage partnership by his wife applying
for a separation of goods! And, stronger
still, the French wife, when her husband
acts with open prodigality, may ask for a
.conseil judiciaire" TO be appointed, to pre-
vent him touching his own principal or
making debts that can have any claim
upon it!
How are these laws and customs, which
unite French families so intricately and
solidly, to be affected by divorce law