New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-13

Jersey Governor Recommends Con-
ader0tion Of Plans Of Congress.
fRr Te,.yrnph % The TrIsure !


Trenton. March I2-Covernor Stokes in sub
uniting 10 the Legislature to-day the report of
the state commissioners 10 the divorce law
congress said
II will be observed from the accompanying
report that the divorce congress did not qucs-
tion the right of each sovereign state to pass
upon the causes for divorce The causes are
recommended as within the right OF each state
10 determine according 10 che views of it's own
citizens The divorce congress did however.
after enumcratiug certain causes a maximum
standard. recommend that no additional causes
be recognized in any state So that where the
number OF causes are within. or less than. the
number prescribed in the maximum standard
no change in the present statutes OF a state is
called for in this regard
The causes. therefore, for divorce in New JET
Soy are not changed by the proposed hin. except
in one provision. that for the annulment of mar
riaees contracted under the ages of sixteen for
girls and eighteen for BOYS.
This provision is In the nature of a restriction
SO that divorce viii be difficult 10 obtain in
the future as heretofore I'm the event Of the pas
sage of the act prepared by the commissioners.
The most important consideration before the di-
vorce congress related 10 the subject Of iurisdic
ton of the courts OF state to grant DEGREES Of
divorce and to the effect to he given I'm any one
state TO the DEGREES Of divorce obtniaed In an
other. The scandal arising from having di
vorces recognized in one state and refused rec
ognition In another is an evil that calls for ii
remedy. This evil viii be largely overcome by
the adoption on the part of the several states
OF uniform rules governing the question of pro-
cedure and jurisdiction, and specifying the
tent to which state shall recognize the de-
crces Of another state.
The question Of divorce so vitality affects the
welfare Of society that / commend this subject
to your most earnest consideration. The work
of the congress is one OF the most important
steps recently taken for the Improvement of
public morals. The corporation Of the states
upon this important subject is a significant
movement IN governmental policy
This congress, which convened a Washington
in February, 1906 was attended voluntarily by
delegates from forty states besides the District
of Columbia and one territory. IF the states
can unite upon questions that affect not only
the people within state itself. hat the citizen
OF all other states, and can agree upon policy
TO tie pursued in such cases IL would seem that
many problems now regarded to large for a
single state to solve can be successfully met
without The Intervention Of federal legislation.
The states could H. this way preserve their
dignity and power, and materially aid in pro-
noting TIE welfare Of the country by mutual
agreement and by the adoption OF uniform laws
for the good Of the nation. Such a policy
would do much to prevent any conflict To
jurisdiction between the state and the national
government and would remove many difficulties
that grow out Of this apparent antagonism.