The Washington times., 1906-05-06
DIVORCE DECISION
STARTLES ENGLAND
Supreme Court Ruling Af-
tests Many British Homes.
d. CHILDREN THE SUFFERERS
Heirs Who Will Take Advantage Where
Marriages Are Pronounced
Not Legal.
CHILDREN THE SUFFERERS
By LADY HENRY SOMERSET.

LONDON, May Reconsideration was
spread over many homes when the new
decision as TO the divorce law in America
became public. The Federal Supreme
Court ruled that a resident in one State
Of the Union could not obtain a divorce
from a resident in another State. and
by this decision thousands of marriages
are rendered void and children made IL
legitimate.
There are several well-known people
here who have gone over TO America TO
obtain divorce. and have remarked on
the strength Of the decree so obtained,
I and II that marriage is not legal in any
country the children are the sufferers.
The situation is further complicated by
a recent decision in the divorce court
division IN England, which has recog-
! nized the validity of a South Dakota
divorce.
Some consolation has been taken by |
1 the thought that unless point is raised. |
marriages made upon the strength of
/ the validity of the South Dakota law
! will remain untouched; but such unions
are not likely TO remain unchalleuged
where heirs can obtain an advantage
: over the children who might be pro-
nounced illegitimate, and in this case
not a few viii be able 10 resist the
temptation of claiming property under
the rights thus accorded to them.
Roosevelt Sets England to Thinking.
A sordid view of marriage is cnIy a
part of the obscured vision OF this man
with the muckrake, TO which President
Roosevelt alluded In his celebrated
speech on the taxation Of the millionaire. |
Typical" he says. 'of the refusal of
men TO see the lofty ideal, having their
vision fixed only on what was vile"
President Roosevelts words have been |
echoed the length and breadth of this |
country. The enormous fortunes of
this day" he is reported TO have said, |
both individual and corporate must be |
grappled with" and he has suggested |
national scheme for progressive taxation |
and the transfer Of fortunes swollen be |
yond healthy limits
His WORDS have set people thinking |
and although in England we do not |
possess a body of men who own wealth |
IS great as any monarch. at the some |
time we have fair share Of rich in |
dividuals and cs wealthy companies. 1
The total income Of Al, ,52e persons who
pay income tax directly was. in 1903 and
1894. according to yesterdays return. !
SIPS. .290. .267. Out of this. at least nine
teen must be milllonaires, possessing an
income Of at least fifty thousand per
annum. which, capitalized at twenty
years purchase, means a million.
Out of Prison Old and Broken.
Jabez Balfour who fifteen years ago
was condemned to penal servitude for
series of colossal frauds, was released !
this week. No mar has probably caused |
greater misery and ruin among a larger |
number of persons.
When Jabez Balfour was sentenced. he
was man in the prime of life, already
he had made mark in the House Of |
Commons, his speeches pungent and cpl |
grammatiC were listened 10 with un- /
usual interest and now he is broken !
man with hair as white as snow, and 4
deep lines chiseled in his lace. Al /
though only sixty-two years old. Mr.. 4
Jabez Balfour has the appearance of |
a man OF eighty
1t is as a veritable Rip Van Winkle
that he returns to the world.
The old man sits for hours engrossed
in his task of writing, for he is deter
mined TO give 10 the world his prison
Impressions, and this document will
probably be one of human interest. and
not the least absorbing part of it will be
the workings of the mans mind to
whom the judge said. as the prison door
closed upon him: You will hear within
your cell the waits of the women and
children whom you have robbed of their
patrimony in life"
Preparations for Alfonso's Wedding.
The young King Alfonso never before
stayed in so humble a dwelling as that
which is inhabited by Princess Henry
of Battenberg and Princess Ena, and in
which he was recently a guest.
The little cottage is covered with
creepers and surrounded by an unpre-
tentious little park railing which divides
It from the road. but the King appeared
to be in the best of spirits, laugh
ed all the time, and was to be
seen motoring through the spring lanes
of the beautiful island.
Great preparations are now going for
ward for framing the program of the /
wedding festivities. There is to be a /
procession in which all the Spanish pro-
vinces win be represented, and in the
course of which characteristic dances
VIII be executed. popular songs sung.
and thus complete panorama of Span
ish life will pass before the eyes of
the bride aY-i bridegroom.
The idea of the procession was excIu-
sively the young Kings. There are to /
be three bull fights. one in the antique l
style, another according to modern i
usage, and a third de nelvillos, or with /
young bulls.
(Con,-rightaT Jooc