The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-07
100000 DIVORCES
Granted in the United
States in 30 Years
MARRIAGE LAWS

New York, Feb. 7.-On account
of the growth of divorce in this cour
try, the national government Is col
lecting statistics from the various
states with view to throwing light
on the subject and encouraging
remedial legislation. 1t is eestimat-
ed that there have been 100000 d.
vorces in the United States in the
last twenty years and that 1900, 900
children have seen their homes brOk-
en- up. Only nine states now publish
divorce statistics. These are Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massa
chusetts. Rhode Island, Connecticut.
Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.
So many excuses Tor divorce have
been found that the comic papers
find the subject one that yields much
rich material. A South Dakota wo-
man recently got a divorce from her
husband 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 their neighbors' cats, thus
making her unpopular in the COM
muDity. Another woman who mar
| ed from the union on account OF the
! fear that if she ever had children
they would inherit a tendency to
pound and make a noise. Mrs. Jas.
| A leXander, Of New York state, car
| ried Off the hOnOrs as most unique
divorce by iSSueing cards that read:
| Mrs. James Alexander requests
| the honor Of your presence at the
celebration Of her divorce from Mr..
James Alexander" However, 1T re-
manned for a Baltimore man to do
the handsome thing by his dissatis-
| fled wife. When he found she was
in love with another man he helped
her secure her release from himself,
settled the house and fine income
On her and crowned his generosity
by giving her away at the wedding.
AS rule the states have adopted
the philosophical view that it is wis
er not to interfere with marriage re-
| latons that are not pleasant, and SO
| have been reluctant to enact divorce
laws. Those that have been enacted
| vary much in what is considered
justification, length Of legal resi-
dence required and terms Of settle
ment. They range all the way from
South Carolina, with no divorce law
at all, to TennesSee's willingness to
grant Il divorce on any one of twelve
reasons after one years residence. In
the state. The length Of residence
required before a divorce can be
obtained ranges from six months in
South Dakota, Idaho, Nebraska, Ne
vada and Texas, TO five years in Mas
sachusetts. The causes range from
very grave crimes down to mere triv-
ialities
| New York grants GivOrJe only
for adultery, and in fifty out Of fifty
one states and territories this is rec
ognized as just ground for issuing
a decree. In twenty-four out Of If
ty-one states and territories willful
full neglect to provide, in forty hab-
itual drunkenness and in forty three
desertion or abandonment Is consid-
cred sufficient cause for legal separa-
ton. In forty-three states cruelty is
accepted, but the word is widely in
lterpreted. It runs the whole gamut
from physical force to Outrageous
temper" In thirty-nine states
drunkenness is ground for absolute
divorce. IN Georgia if both husband
and wife drink neither can obtain q
decree. In Nevada divorce for drunk
enneSs is granted only when it Is
lprOved that the man cannot support
his family, while In Kentucky evil
denCe must also be provided to show
that the drunken husband is vast
ing his estate"
The present variation of the mar
rage laws throughout the states is
said to be largely responsible for
the prevailing middle in divorces.
Only eleven state constitutions treat
the subject Of marriage at ell. AN
old statute Of Pennsylvania requires
twelve witnesses to q marriage; some
states require three witnesses, some
two, some one and some none at all.
In New York practically no cere>
mony beyond registry is required. A
man gave woman ring, saying:
"This is your wedding ring" and
the courts held it to be a valid mar
riage. In South Carolina q person
convicted Of bigamy is disqualified
from being registered or from vot-
ing. In Utah "polygamous or plural
marriages are forever prohibited"
The constitution Of California states