The Washington times., 1906-02-21
DIVORCE CONGRESS
GROWS EXCITED
Speaker Scores Delegation
From Pennsylvania.
DENIES RIGHT TO DICTATE
Women Leave Hall When Dr.. Fanny
Cummings Speaaks-ConvenJion
Passes Resolution.

An eIogment and effective plea for the
right of remarrisge and burning avowal
Of the dignity Of the renewed relation
was made at this morning session of
the congress for uniform divorce, by
the Rev. Caroline Bartlett Crane, Of
Michigan.
c La Rue Munson. Of Pennsylvania,
chairman OF the committee on resolu-
tions, had addressed the congress in
favor Of a resolution declaring for the
judicial separation, OF divorce from
bed and board" as une means Of deal
ing with the genera erT Mr. Munson.
who is 2 Catholic 7giei that the
limited divorce ofers6 he only door of
relief to members Of - religion, whose
marital relations has Deeome impos-
sible Of endurance ara who yet believe
that TO break the bond would imperial
their salvation,
Too much has been said here on the
subject Of authority" said Mrs. Crane.
in 'he first piace. we have had too
much of the authority Of the Pennsyl-
vania delegation and the committee on
resolutions. We are not here 10 echo
what the delegation or the committee
says. and yet that is the function TO
which the chairman of the committee
would consiEn US.
In the second place, there has been
too much said Of the authority OF the
Church. We are here as representatives
Of the civil government. and na. Of any
church or any set Of religious conyic-
ttons. Nv OWE religious views. ] trust.
ere as strong as those Of any <elegate
on this floor. but they do not concern
you.
Why should We be constantly re
minded that q church, however ancient.
condemns remaFriage? What are the
circumstances that attend iJ2
What sacrsdness attaches TO the first
ceremony which is absent from the sec
ond? Why should the wronged and in
nocent party be prohit;ted from q second
marriage. when the first has resulted IN
unhappiness and misery Why should
he or she be condemned TO a PEI rpetuity
of punishment for an offense in which
he or she has no guilty part. or suffer
public or private reprobation for pursu-
ing such a course?
Il know il is said that They whom
God hath joined together let no man put
asundeT.' but when a man and woman
have reached the divorce court there Is
fair assumption that GOD did not join
them together
DR.. Fanny Leske Cummings. Of Wash
! ington, precipitsted some excitement
and not little CONSERVATION in the
congress by her discussion Of the pend
ing question. DR.. Cummings branched
out into rather sweeping argument in
which she condemned the morals Of the
young men OF the country and found in
these a fruitful source of the divorce
evil. DR., Cummings reJoices IN The use
OF plain language and IN her remarks
called spade Il spade. with a Vengeance
Many women delegates left the hall
while Dr. Cummins was speaking.
when she concluded they came back.
The congress this morning adopted the
following stateemnts of its position:
Not less than two years residence
should be required on the part OF a
plaintinn who has changed his or her
State domfciie since the cause of divorce
arose.
An innocent and injured party. hus-
band or wife. seeking q divorce should
not be compelled to ask for dis oIu-
ton of the bonds OF ma atTImOny. nut
should be allowed. at his or her option,
at any time, to apply for divrce from
bed and board. Therefore divorces d
mensa should be retained where alTeac =
existing. and provided for in States
where no such rights exist.
The causes for divorce would seem
to be susceptible OF classification into
certain groups that would be apprO' ID
by the common consent Of all the com
mgnities represented in this Congress
or at least substantially SO. These
causes should be restricted TO offenses
| by one party to the marriage contract
aga inst the other Of so seriC.Is char
acter as to defeat the objects Of the
marital relation, and they should never
be left to the discretion of a court, but
in all cases should be clearly and spe-
ciffCauy enumerated in the statute
Uniformity in this branch of the law is
much to be desired, but the evils aris-
ing from diverse causes in the differen,
States will be very greatly Sbated -
migratory divorces are prohibited
| The Congress engaged In an animate
argument as to whether IL should "a ke
| up the discussion Of causes fer the
grant Of divorce or should defer until