Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-20

penses of the gathering. The member
snip is national in scope, all but three
of the states of the union being rep
resented. About 100 delegates are in
attendance. Following an address of
welcome by District Commissioner Nc
Fariand, Gov. Pennypackcr outlined
the objects of the congress-
Governor Pcnnypacker said the OBJ
jeCt of The meeting was the securing
as nearly as possible uniform statutes
upon the matter Of divorce throughout
the nation" The initiative had been
takelr in Pennsylvania. he said, when
the governor had been authorized by
the Legislature to communicate with
the governors of the several states re-
Questing them to cooperate in the as
sembling of Il congress to discuss the
subject of divorce. Forty-two states
and tie District Of Columbia. he said,
had sent delegates. Governor Penny
packer said:
"Of the three states which are I'M
represent ed, one OF them South Carroll
IA, does not permit enforcement for
any cause and, therefore, only two of
the 45 states have failed to Indicate an
appreciation of the significance of the
movement upon which You have en-
barked. The dissolution of the mar
raCe tie has become so common as to
be regarded as an ordinary event.
aWak @ning no comment and meeting
with little or no disapproval. There are
more divorces granted annually i'm the
United States of America than in any
oth"- country upon the earth except
Japan.
~ writer who has investigated the
subject declares that AT the time of the
census of 1900 there were 1894 di-
vorced persons living in the United
states: that there We're nearly 1000
divorces granted in 1909 and that the
proportion Of divorces to marriages is
increasing with Alarming rapidity. We
may We'll regard such drgeneracy in
morals and such loss of that fibre
which gives character to Il nation with
the eraVest apprehension. If YOU can
do something 10 limit ana check a
stream which promises ere long to be
n flood you may Well be content. What
is recommended in the WAY of lcgisa-
ton ought to be tho outcome uf caro-
full d"liheratirn and wise consideration
the prudent and thouGhtful in all of
the states and avoid criticism and op-
position"
Anna y. Eaton, of Rhode Island
was elected a vice president William
H. Stake. Pennsylvania was elected
secretary The resolution committee
includes Charles r. Libhcy. Maine.
The congress decided that votes shall
be taken by states rather than by in
diviGual delegates.
\ resolution was adopted appointing
a committee to draw up Il uniform mar
rage license.
The ennsylvania delegation intro
duced set of resolutions embodying
their idea Of a uniform divorce law.
These resolutions which We're referred
to committee. express the sense of
the congress that no federal divorce law
is feasible, that each state should adoDt
legislation restricting the remedies af-
fordcd by its statutes of divorce to its
own citizens, except under certain con-
ditionS; TINT when tho courts are
given coSnizancc of suits where either
of the parties We're d0micilcd in a for
cign Jurisdiction at the time the cause
WI tpu' pldllI dInSh, IL should 10 insist
ch that except in cases Of adultery or in
the cas-" of a wife returning 20 her or
iginal domcilc. relief will not be- given
unless the cause of divorce was includ-
cd among those recognized in such
foreign dornicile. that as long 2 term as
possible be fixed as u period OF resi-
dencc before the right to sue can be ac-
CURED and suggesting that the Mass
achusettS rule of three years is not too
extreme limit: classifying into GER
tain groups causes for divorce that =
decree should not be granted for insan-
lty arising after marriage and that n
final decree dissolving the marriage
tie 81 completely ~ to permit the re-
marriage of either party should not be
entered until the lapse of a reasonable
time after a decree nisi after hearing
on trial upon the merits of the cause.
The delegates called on President
Roosevelt this afternoon The Prcsi-
dent wished them God speed in their
work. He made. however, no formal
remarks.