The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-14
Governor PsnnypackeT Wants h.
 sane to Remain Married
ANNUL YOUTHFUL MARRIAGES
Girls Under 16 and Boys Under IS Con- stitute the Limit-Woman Set. ties the Question of
 Propriety.

Philadelphia, Pa NoVemosr 1S.-The national congress on uniform divorce laws, in session in this city today, adopt. ed about one-third of the proposed uni form bills as drafted by the committee appointed at q meeting held in Washing ton nine months ago.
 The portions adopted include seven causes under which annulment of mar riage may be obtained, and six causes for absolute divorce. Delegates from twenty seven states and the District of Colum- bia and representatives of all Protestant denominations who attended the interna- tional conference on marriage, together with Catholic Bishop Shanley of North Dakota, attended the sessions which were persided over by Governor Pennypacker. Discussion of the bill by sections began at the afternoon session, the morning having been taken up by Governor Pen nypacker's address, and the reading of the report of Walter C. Smith of Penn sylvania, chairman of the committee which drew up the bill
 Omit Proceedings and Practice.
 it iulpbl ldll fudiStH III Ailt bill are the striking out of all references to pro- ceedinss and practice leaving the question for the various legislative bodies 10 pass upon. The committee decided that so long as open hearings are held and the laws provide for direct service on the respon- dent, and fix a punishment for colluslon the measure need not conform to any
 fixed rule.
 The causes for which divorce can be granted arc inhdelity, felony bgamy, assertion, habitual drunkenness and intol- erable cruelty, and in the discussions of the various sections there was little ops position to any 5f these provisions. but | in tho list of causes for annulment oi | marriago opposition was presented 1 against separation,
 Pennypacker Takes Exception. ! Governor Pennypaeker took exception
 to the clause which provides if either i party, unknown to the other, was in- sane at the time of marriage, it should
 be annulled. The governor said the clause not only gave the sane party the right to begin suit, but also to q commitment of the lunatie This would give q com mission appointed by the court, a right to begin q suit in the name of an insane party, even if the person not insane did
 not want a divorce. He argued that mar | 1age was q personal relation, and a third 1 person had no rights in the contract Seneca N. Taylor of St. Louis and c. Larue AIunson of Williamsport Pa, l.,Ir -ttI. | ject. MT. Taylor said the third party is the public. and 1t has right to forbid the propagation of children from the in- sane. The question of property rights he also held was involved. AIr Munson said the clause was inc only plan for an insane person against u designing man or woman. He cited cause where rel atives and friends were helpless 10 pro- tect an imbece who had married a de- signing woman. The clause was adopted
 Woman Settles Question. There was also opposition to the clause annuling the marriage of a girl under the age of 16 and q youth of IS. Earnest Merten of Wisconsin said that q girl ,ln- der l6 years of age was incapable of making proper marriage contract. and Frank II. Kerr of Ohio favored the law of his state, which makes the marriage of a boy under 21 and girl under IS void. Miss Rachel Siegel of Utah, the only woman speaker, held that 16 years for the girl was all right. She said, "Women ought to know" The clause was adopted. Though personally opposed to divorce. Bishop Shanley voted for the sections in behalf of his state, because the other delegates were not present