Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-03-24
PEEP AT OTHER SIDE.
JUDGE GRANT BRUSHES ASIDE
MANY COBWEBS.

lie seem to be almost ready to accept
the diction of the churches and those
who seek approval of these strong
organizations, and conclude that the
tie once formed shall not be broken
even though the union prove a cause
of lifelong misery to one or both the
parties to the bond. In a late con.
versation with scribe with regard to
his book Unleavened Bread" which
appeared about four years ago, and
publication last year of "The Under.
current" in which social conditions
were discussed from an impartial
standpoint and his faith in their truth
and justice seemed to be immeasur.
ably strengthed by approving words
from intelligent people all over the
country. He said, in part:
az am not in sympathy with the
views on divorces entertained by some
OF the more or less distinguished mem
bers OF the clergy. In 'Unlesvened
Bread l have traced the career OF the
modern woman who emancipates her
self from the restrictions and draw.
backs which ill.assorted marriages i'm.
pose. The clergy may platitudinize G
at will over the evil of divorce, but
there is another side to the question
The evil OF loveless marriages could
have things said about it that would
sound very logical.
Divorce, far from looming up as q
menace to civilization and a sap to
national individuality and pre- emf.
nence, affords necessary means to
escape from tyranny and brutality
and is an often beneficial remedy to
blind suffering.
"And not only do I countenance
divorce, but further advocate that
full liberty to marry should 60 with
it.
"To deny remarriage to divorced
individuals would be inconsistent with
justice and prejudicial to the best
interests Of civilization.
"The fiat of the clergy on that
matter is inconsistent with the high
est ideals OF humanity and is consid.
cred by high.minded men and women
the world over as monkish and an
tenable. It is all we'll and good to
speak OF marriage as q sacrament, as
something ideal and spiritual, but this
concrete thing has concrete manifesto.
tions; it relates to society as here con.
stituted, to life on this planet, and not
to . possible existence after death.
When interrogated by His critics as to
whose wife the seven times married
woman would be in the next world
Jesus said, In Heaven they are
neither married nor given in mar.
riage.'
"This would seem to dispose OF the
contention that divorce is a religious
rather than a secular question. The
problem is purely social and has sbso.
lutely nothing to do with religion; re-
ligious interference with it l consider
absolutely unwarranted.
Divorce, far from stigmatizing the
woman who by resort to it has freed
herself from the abuse and ill.treat.
ment OF q brutal husband, should, on
the contrary, confer particular dis
tinction. 1t should be regarded az
evidence Of self.respect and brevet of
morality. Why make supineness and
submissiveness feminine virtuesf Why
should q woman suffer any indignity
that q man, simply because he is her
husband, might see fit to subject her
to? Has she not a. much personality
as the man, as high aspirations, as
we'll developed a moral sense as he hasl
Why, then, should the finger of scorn
be pointed at her for asserting herself
for saying to the man who would drag
her down, Il have my life to make
my self.respect to maintain, and this
! cannot do if I remain in bondage
al agree with Bernard Shaw that
the American woman is the woman.
liest OF all women But to me wo
manliness does not mean subserviency
and servility, the sinking of all indi'
viduslity and the blind accession tc
every demand made by the male
partner, whether it be sane or moral
Passiveness used to be the attribute ol
woman, but she has found herself and
no longer shirks her queenship. Sew.
enty-five per cent. of all divorces
granted are now obtained ON demand
Of the wife.
"Nor can this manifestation be
taken as . reflection upon the women
OF this country. Bryce in his Studies
in History and Jurisprudence.' states
that 'there seems TO be no ground fol
concluding that the increase of divorce
in America necessarily points to a de-
cline in the standard OF domestic NOR
ality, except perhaps in small section
of the wealthy class
"It is the marital antics of the
wealthy class which have contributed