The Colorado statesman., 1907-07-06
MARRIAGE VOWS
SQcIoLOGlST SAYS WOMEN ARE
ELEVATED BY DIVORCE.
ECONOMIC HANDICAP TO WED

Professor Phillips Says Some Things
About Marital Obligations That
That May Set the Cid World
Thinking.
THE divorce movement is the out
growth of the modern family's struggle
for freedom. and the fact that mar
riage today is an economic drawback.
"The restriction of divorce by law
does little but make divorce more eX-
pensive, and hence luxury of the
rich.
Restriction of remarriage is an un-
wise measure. 1t is an incentive to
immortality.
Divorces are not sought for the
purpose of remarriage in any such de-
gree as is popularity supposed.
The retriction of marriage is bad
for the morals of the community.
"Commonlaw marriages afford u
limitless field for adventuresses.
Divorce, in so far as it's increase
grants greater freedom to women,
means her elevation.
at is unlikely that the increase of
divorce will seriously menace the fam
lly as an institution"
Boulder, Colo.-Dr. John B. Phillips,
professor of sociology and economics
at the University of Colorado, treats
Of some new phases of the divorce
problem in the last volume of the
university of Colorado" studies, in an
article entitled The Increase in Di-
vorce." According to DIR. Phillips the
divorce movement is the outgrowth of
the modern family's struggle for free
uom, and the fact that marriage today
Is an economic drawback.
DR.. Phillips says: The modern fam
lily has shared fully in the nineteenth
century struggle for freedom, and to-
day is n sort of free government The
absolute power of the father is gone;
the children are no longer ruled by the
rod, nor can the husband interfere with
the wife's right in her property. AS Il
result of this it is probably true that
American children are less respectful
TO their parents than are the European
children. This is because the Euro
pean boy is brought up to follow the
business of his father, while the Amer
lean boy is taught that his fathers
trade is not good enough for him, and
hence is not apt to think his father a
great man. Thus the glory of the
American national life that the chill
hren are filed with the ambition TO rise
higher than their fathers comes at the
% l.,1
tents by children who are taught not
10 try to rise above the level attained
by their father.
THE various industrial opportunities
opened to women since the invention
of machinery has made them less de-
pendent and advanced the age of mar
riage. The effect of this is diminu-
lIon in the marriage rate of nearly all
the countries in which statistics are
available.
Economic Drawback.
Probably the greatest reason for
the decline in the Importance of the
family is that marriage is an economic
drawback. AS a rule it multiplies
bachelors expenses of living nearly
threefold and from a purely finan
cial stanpoint young man on
a small salary is worse off after
marrying. The current matrimo-
MAJ ideal intensifies the eco
nom!c disadvantages of marriage,
which Is that the home means a SER
want, and leisure for the wife to de-
vote herself to more or less elaborate
eocial functions.
Divorces are the more numerous in
the newer countries. The eastern ana
southern states are conservative and
grant few divorces, while the western
states grant them mainly for desertion
cruelty or adultery. One of the defects
o. the law is that it doesn't define cru.
city. All sorts of definitions have been
allowed by the courts.
Restriction of remarriage is an un-
wise measure. Ii is an inceneive to inn
morality. Nor does it affect the cause
us divorces probably are not sought
Tor The purpose OF remarriage in any
Euch degree as is popularly supposed
The third suggested remedy, the
restriction of marriages, is bad for the
morals of the community. though GER
tain mild restrictions might aid NOR
ally. A marriage ceremony should be
surrounded with certain amount of
formality, for this tends to prevent
haste and recklessness. The oppor-
tunity to marry secretly is not good
for the public or the parties con
cerned. Neither is the common law
marriage, as 1t affords limitless OPP
portunity for adventuresses
There are some measures that Will,
perhaps. in the long run, tend to
lessen the number of divorces, OF
these one is the growth of the ro-
mantle ideal BY this is meant that
each person be free to follow his own