The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-06-17
Friday, June II, 1904.
OUR LAWS.

There are signs OF the Inauguration
OF an earnest crusade against the d.
vorce evil in his country. There is
no doubt about the fact that h courts
are given too much latitude in the
granting of divorces.
1t is especially the case in this state.
Some OF the grounds on which the
statutes allow divorces are entirely too
trivial. Few states in the union have
such loose laws concerning marriage
and divorce. Here divorce can almost
be secured by consent. We hope this
crusade will be carried on with such
energy Is to arouse a public sentiment
in favor of making more sacred n
marriage tie which will be so strong
and So determined that the next legis-
lature will be forced to heed it.
The record of divorces in this state
is appalling. During last year there
were ten thousand marriages and four
teen hundred divorces. Fourteen cou-
pies were divorced for every hundred
that were married.
This state of affairs is due chiefly to
the desire of legislators to create
causes for divorce to fit special cases
of constituents. Many of the later d.
vorce laws, while general in terms
were really special enactments for GER
tain cases. The constitution prohibits
the granting of divorces by act of leg
islature. To get around this provision
of the constitution recourse has been
had to enactment of general legisla-
ton covering these individual cases,
and thus the flood-gates hav been
opened.
There has been some talk of a uni
form marriage law for all the states.
Were this possible it would do much
toward checking the evils of the pres
ent loose divorce laws of the different
states.
There is only one practical way OF
securing such a law and that is by
amending the federal constitution and
putting the regulation OF marriages and
divorces in the hands of the congress.
1t would be impossible, though, to Sc
cure the consent of the people to such
~mendme We do not believe that
the vote of a single n of h states
could be secured for Uncertainty not
the vote of three-fourths of them, as he
constitution requires for the ratifca-
ton Of an amendment to the federal
constitution
The only other way of securing uni
form 10 UQ IN the matter UOnl6 he for
the legislatures OF all the states to
enact identical statutes on the subject
This is possible only theoretically.
Practically. 1t would be an impossible
ity.
The only thing, then, to be done is
for those ~fayoring this movement to
devote their energies to the purging OF
the statute books of their individual
states of the vicious laws on this sub
ject. =
That there is great need for such
purging in this state nc one can deny.
Reform. like charity should begin at
home. If we car succeed in remedy
ing the evil in our own state we will
have accomplished d great reform.
And DeSldeS, there IS more likelihood
of success if our efforts are confined to
the work in our own state and aspect
fc and definite proposition is made the
object of the movement, h if q gen.
eral crusade against the existing evil
all over the country is entered into.
The aim of those interested in this
matter should be a return to the law on
divorce as it existed at the time of the
adoption of the code of 1888.
It is to be hoped that the commits
sioners now preparing a new. o will
not embody in their report any OF the
divorce laws which have been enacted
since 1888. To these code commission
ers the men who are trying to bring
about reform in our laws on marriage
and divorce should appeal. There is
where good and effective work can be
done.
Or course the work OF this commits
sion will ave to be passed upon by the
legislature. but a great advantage will
be gained If such report embodies these
reform measures.