The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-14
JUST REASONS FOR DIVORCE.
Reform CONGRESS AGREES on
BASIS FOR UNIFORM Law.
List Of Disabilities and Conditions That
Justify Annulment Of Marriage n
Causes That Render Divorced
TO Those Framing the New statute.

List OF Disabilities and Conditions That
Justify AnnuIment OF Marriage and
Causes That Render DivorceAEreeable
to Those Framing the New statute.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 1s.-Headed by
Gov. Samuel W. P~ennypacker of Pennsyl-
vania more thar a hundred men and
women, bishops. Governors, ~jurists, clergy
men and so~ciologists, representing nearly
every State, gathered here to-day to frame
a uniform divorce law.
As almost every delegate has pledged
that the laws suggested by the congress
will be passed by the Legislature of his
State, the draft which the delegates will
frame may become the divorce law OF the
whole country.
The two important things settled to-day
were the causes that should permit annul-
ment OF marriage and the causes which
should permit the granting OF absolute
divorce.
Briefly summarized, the draft adopted
gives the following causes for annulment OF
marriage:
Incurable impotency at the suit OF either
party, provided the party making the
application for the divorce was ignorant OF
such incapacity at the time of marriage.
C~onsanguinity or affinity according to
the table of degrees established by law,
at the suit OF either party. 1t Is provided.
however, that when any such marriage
shall not have been inquired into within
the lifetime OF the parties the validity
shall not be inquired into after the death
Of either party.
When marriage was contracted while
either Of the parties had a husband or wife
living.
Fraud. force or coercion at the suit OF
the injured or innocent party unless the
marriage had been confirmed by the acts
of the injured party and so condOned.
Insanity, provided such insanity existed
at the time OF the marriage and was un-
known to he person marrying tire lunatlc;
At the suit of the wife when she IL under
10, or IL the husband is under Is at the time
of marriage, providing that such marriage
shall not have been confirmed by her or
him after arriving at the age OF IS or Is.
For absolute divorce the causes are as
follows:
Adultery, bigamy, conviction and sem
tence for crime followed by a continuous
imprisonment for at least two years; ex-
treme cruelty, such AS to endanRer life or
health; habitual drunkenness for two years
and wilful desertion for the same length OF
time.
The meeting was presided over by Gov.
P~ennypaoker. while Common Pleas Judge
William H. Stake. of this city acted az
secretary. heavyweight States and the
District of Columbia were represented at
the opening of the Congress- and
ment was made that delegates from other
States woul be present tomorrow
Gov. ~Pennypacker in his address TO the
delegates said:
Those who look upon divorce from the
point Of view Of divorced persons have a
very narrow idea Of What it means. II
affects the entire community.
Every man and woman, knowing how
easy it IL 10 get a divorce, Notwithstanding
his or her lows on the marriage altar,
knows that IL the husband or wife becomes
derelict there If an easy opportunity for
escape. When the thoughts are in that
direction it is easy for the steps to a *
that pathway.
Your mission is to establish in theUnited
States a uniformity OF treatment Of the
subject Of divorce. That is all that you
can hope to do. II you succeed you will
confer upon mankind an incalculable bene-
faction
The questions of partial divorce and
jurisdiction will be taken up tomorrow.