The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-05
Growth of the Divorce Evil
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKTN.

on account of the general alarm owe,
the growth Of the divorce evil in thi
country, the national government is col
lecting statistics from the various States
with a view to throwing light on tn,
subject and encouraging remedial legisla
ton. II is estimated that there hav,
been 100000 divorces in the United States
in the last twenty years, and that 1900
COO children have seen their homes broker
up. The full extent Of the evil car
hardly be realized until the Forthcoming
report is completed. because only min,
States now publish divorce statistics
These are Maine. New Hampshire. Yer
mont, Massachusetts. Rhode Island, Con
necueut, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.
So many absurd excuses for divorc,
have been found that it is no wonder tn,
comic papers find the subject one thai
yields much rich material for their pur.
poses. South Dakota woman wa:
recently given a divorce from her hus
band because he refused TO pay for &
pair of cOrsets she had bought. One wife
secured a separation from her husband
because he persisted in stoning theiI
neighbors cats. thus making her un-
popular in the community where they
lived. Another woman who married Z
carpenter, afterward Telented. and beg.
ged TO be released from the union on ac-
count Of the fear that If she ever had
children they would inherit a tendency
to pound and make a noise. Mrs. James
Alexander of New York, carried of the
honors as a most unique Divorce by is
suing cards that read: Mrs. James Alex
ander requests the honor of your pres
ence at the celebration of her divorce
from Mr.. James Alexander" However,
it remained for a Baltimore man to do
the handsome thing by his dissatisfied
wife. When he found she was in love
with another man he helped her secure
her release from himself. settled the
house and a fine income on her, then
crowned his generosity by giving her
away at the wedding
AS a rule the States have adopted the
philosophical view that it is wiser not TO
interfere with marriage relations that are
not pleasant. and so have been reluctant
70 enact divorce laws Those that have
been enacted vary SO much in what Is
considered justification. length of legal
residence required. and in terms Of set
tlement, that their utter lack of general
application Is conceded TO be a menace
rather than q protection 20 our cIvIIiza-
ton. They range all the way from South
Carolina, with no divorce law at all, 20
Tennessee's willingness to grant a divorce
on any OF twelve reasons after one year $
residence in the State. The length of
residence required before a divorce can be
obtained ranges from six months in South
Dakota, Idaho. Nebraska, Nevada. and
Texas. 10 five years in Massachusetts.
The causes range from very grave crimes
down to mere trivialities.
New York grants divorce only for
adultery, and in fifty out of ffty-one
States and Territories this is recognized
as just ground for issuing a decree. In
twenty-four out OF ffty-one States and
Territories willful neglect TO provide. In
forty habitual drunkenness. and in forty
three desertion or abandonment is consid-
cred sufficient cause for legal separation.
In forty-three States cruelty Is accepted
as grounds for divorce, but the word IS
widely interpreted. It runs the whole
gamUt from physical force 10 Outrageous
temper In thirty-nine States drunken
ness is accepted as grounds for absolute
divorce. In Georgia If both husband and
wife drink neither can obtain a decree.
In Nevada divorce for drunkenness IS
granted only when il Is proved that the
man cannot support his family. while in
Kentucky evidence must also be provided
70 show that the drunken husband is
wasting his estate"
The present variation Of the marriage
laws throughout the States is said 70 be
largely responsible for the prevailing
middle in divorces. Only eleven State
constitutions treat the subject Of marriage
at all. An old statute Of Pennsylvania re-
quires twelve witnesses to a marriage. |
Some States require three witnesses, some
two, some one, and some none at all. In
New York practically no ceremony is re- !
quired. A man gave a woman a ring.
saying: This is your wedding ring" and
the courts held it to be a valid marriage |
In South Carolina person convicted Of |
bigamy is disqualified from being register |
ed, or from voting. IN Utah "polygamous. |
or plural. marriages are forever prohibit /
ed" The constitution OF California states /
that no contract for marriage, II other !
wise duly made, shall be invalidated for 1
want Of conformity to any religious sect. |
Wide latitude is allowed in the various /
States in the choice of the ceIebrant of |
the marriage. He may be any qualified /
civil officer, or any minister Of the gospel; |
and in Arkansas. under special provision. /
the governor himself may officiate.
Some States are stern IN their decision
as to whom one may marry. Marriage
between whites and persons Of negro de-
scent is prohibited in twenty-six States. /
Marriage between whites and Indians is
prohibited in four States. and between
whites and Chinese in FIVE States. In Vir- |,
ginie provision Of old English common II
law is still in force, which prohibits
man from marrying his deceased wife's
sister. though other States have laws
permitting a woman 10 marry any and all
Of her brothers-in-law who may be will
ing, provided, Of course, she marries them
3ne at a time. Connecticut forbids feeble
minded women 10 marry New Jersey
lecides that as the deaf and dumb do not
come under the head of imbeciles. they
nay marry within her borders. The law
makers Of Vermont have gravely ruled
hat man may marry his motner-in-Iaw
I he likes. In some states man is pro
libited from marrying his sons wife, and
/ woman from marrying her daughters
husband. Ohio forbids the marriage of A
lrunkard, and WIFI refuse to grant a
license to a man who is drunk at the
inc he asks for it.