Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-22
SOCIAL EVILS.

The Springfield Republican takes an
optimistic view Of the general moral
condition OF society, Notwithstanding
the fact that divorces are growing
more numerous every year. Our con-
temporary argues that divorces are
more frequent. not because there are
more cases of violation OF the marriage
covenants than formerly. but because
married people are becoming less pa
tent and submissive under such con-
dltions. and separate rather than live
together and suffer. as many did in
the past.
The statistics show that 1903 divorces
were granted during the year 1904 In
the state OF Massachusetts. In 1903
there were more cases OF separation,
but the number was quite an increase
over that OF previous years. In fact,
the divorce In that state doubled In
twenty years.
The Republican shows that OF the
2l.0O0 divorces granted during the
twenty years, 1857, or nearly one-half
were because OF desertion, mostly on
the part Of the husband; 1853 divorces
were granted for adultery. and Of these
1888. or less than one-half, were given
TO women;2,72S were for intoxlcation.
?,297 going to women against bibulous
husbands; while 1888 were for cruel and
abusive treatment, 2,6l7 being obtained
4 mic 4.
for 1891 of the total OF 2l,000 divorces
for the twenty years. The others were
for various causes. But. so far from
regarding the present situation dis
oouraging, from n moral point OF view.
our contemporary holds that we may
account for the increase In divorces on
the assumption that the moral tone
of society has improved instead OF de-
clinlng-that on the whole there is less
drunkenness, less cruel and abusive
treatment and less laSity in sexual re-
lations than formerly obtained" The
Republican concludes: 1T is quite rossi-
hle that this rise of the divorce rate f.
due simply TO an increasing indisposl-
ton OF people 70 be held down by the
restraints imposed by law or conven-
ton under conditions which are hos
tile to individual comfort or happiness 4"
The argument might stand, were Il
not for the fact that there nre many
other signs of a lower moral standard.
Only the other day, Rev. DR.. Madison
poffpa Y
dispatch, publicly charged that inebrlety
is increasing among society women He
said. In part;
CLOSELY observe the golugs-on IN
the fashionable drinking places OF our
city, and nine out Of ten women drink
drink habitually their tipples identical
with those OF men. and the calls as
frequent; drinking with men and wo-
men, and alone NJ luncheon, at dinner.
at supper and between times, Young
women and old TO say nothing of the
drinking I'm their homes, where nobody
except their maids sees them FASH
ionable physicians know that / tell
the truth. Alcoholism among women
IL alarmingly on the increase"
Take another illustration. A prom.
inent physician, a few months ago. IN
nr address before medical society
stated thar II the physicians should
reveal all the secrets IN their posses.
sion, society would be disrupted and
churches dismembered." He had ref.
erence 10 the criminal practices which.
he claimed. are so common that. IN his
estimation, 2o00oOdO unborn children
have been put out Of existence since
the days Of President Lincoln. IN the
estimation Of this authority, It has
come to be n fact now that only the
vicious the Ignorant and the very poor
are producing the future American
citizen In any considerable numbers.
Not only is this condition prevalent