Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-19
"THE PITY OF HI.

The above is the caption over a.
cartoon in one of today's metropolitan
papers, commenting upon the Taggart
divorce case The artist has struck
home with his drawing, which shows
two little boys gazing in dismay at a
motto, Honor Thy Father and Thy
Mother" on the wall of deserted
home. No names are attached and
the only comment is in the line at the
top of the picture, but no more is
needed to tell the reading public that
the drawing has reference to the case
ct the army man and his wife who
have wrecked their own lives and
burdened their two children with a
load of sadness and care which will be
lifted only Wien they are laid in their
graves. "The pity of it," indeed.
Much comment is being made just
at this time upon the growing num-
Der of divorces. Court records show
that the growth is very rapid and
that there is no improvement in con-
lditions despite the comments of the
bench and the press. Unwise mar
riages furnish of course, the reason
FOR the situation but the key to the So
luton Is as yet undiscovered. In to-
days Courier appears a list of large
number of petitions for divorce filed
In the Wapello county district court,
and not a term of court passes but
that decree after decree is. granted.
The grounds Tor action are various,
probably the one most often found be-
ing cruel and inhuman treatment,
doubtless made the more unbearable
by the use of liquors.
Whatever else might be alleged by
the opponents in the case the use of
liquors is the real cause of the Tag
cart trouble. Major Taggart was ad-
Gicted to the use of liquor. He kept
well stocked sideboard in his home
and he and his wife were given to the
use, even to excess, Of alcoholic bev-
erages. They drank in the presence of
their children and both were under the
influence Of intoxicants on several oc-
casions during their married life. Fin
ally, Taggart. grew so accustomed to
the use Of the liquor that he became
habitual drunkard, if some of the wit
nesses are to be believed, and no
doubt his cruelty to his wife, whether
it was justified by her actions or not.
was no doubt induced largely by the
use Of liquor.
The idea that either Major Taggart
or his wife is capable of rearing boy
who has been a witness to such scenes
as those which led up to the divorce
and the idea that two boys such as
the Taggart children could obey that
biblical instruction, "Obey thy father
and thy mother are as far from the
possible as 1t is easy to imagine a
tease. And yet the court before which
the divorce suit was tried has award
ed one of the children to the father
and the other to the mother Such a
1ul1ng is no, doubt as good one as
could have been made, but if 1t is the
best and most practicable one, it is
truly a pity that the laws fail to pro-
vide better for such a contingency.
Those Taggart boys, before they are
cid enough to know it, are saddled
with burden that will tax their man
hood more than once in years to come
and all because of the carelessness Of
their parents with regard to marriage
vows-a carelessness, as it is part Of
the fact to add, that was doubtless
brought about by intemperance on the
Part of both parents No one who has
followed the progress of the Taggart
case can feel much pity for either of
the contestants, but neither can he
fail to pity from the bottom of the
heart, the two boys, innocent victims
OF their parents lack of wisdom and
lack OF manliness and womanly quail
tiles.
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