The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-29


 vorces are granted by the western states, North Dakota, for instance, is extreme cruelty. There are probably few married couples who could honest ly deny that at some time during their married life one of them had caused grievous mental suffering to the other. If there are such, they would probably be found to be of phleglnatic dispos- tion.
 Tt is obviously fraud upon the New York woman to go to North Da- kota, remain six months, get a divorce, l because a husband, we will say de- nied her a sufficient allowance to keep up her social position according to her ideas; which would doubtless cause grievous mental suffering to some pco- pie, and then come back to New York with all the rights and privileges of a l single woman.
 1 Tt is this kind of migratory divorce when the congress aimed to stop. do not think that the causes of divorce set down in the Connecticut statute need much change. We do need, l think, safeguards against nasty or in- eonsiderate action of the courts. Time cures a good many evils, If it took q year instead of from three weeks to | three months to get divorce, a good many people would make up their quarreIs and live together who are now 1 separated forever.
 I Another remedy which has been rec commended by the congress Is what is called judicial separation that is to say, the judgment of the court that the parties live separated for such period as the court may decrees with permis- l sion for either party to apply to have 1 the decree set aside, instead of grant, I ing an absolute divorce with freedom to both parties to re-marry. Such separation would, it is beiev- l cd, frequently result in settlement of the troubles between the parties with out absolute divorce.
 Substantially, all the civilized coun- tries and most of the states of the Union recognize the instnution of judi cial separation either permanent or ! temporary.
 ! Our Puritan forefathers, in Connec- | ticut held very stern and rigid views concerning the duty of wives, and re- garded unmarried people as a danger ous class, particularly unmarried men. l They were made subject to burdcnsome l restrictions. Married people who lived separate from one another were regard l ed almost as criminals. The authori- ties in many cases insisted upon ban l ishment.
 "The modern view is broader While l domestic duties must absorb the at | tention of the vast majority of women | and should never be looked upon with aversion and contempt, we allow and expect that many women will indulge in other activities.
 ''The primitive Connecticut view was that if the women were not married l they ought to be married as soon as l possible. If for any reason they found | it impossible to live comfortably with their husbands they should be at once divorced and immediately married to somebody that they could live with Therefore they rejected the institution of judicial separation from bed and board, as contrary to the interest of the state, as tending to Immortality.
 T think the prejudice against judi cial separation is relic of the old an tiquated feeling"
 In conclusion the report says: 'It is one of the curios of the immutable law that while Mir. Russell considers this a relic of the Puritans, the third com missioner, in the state report of the Philadelphia congress, puts himself or record as against divorce from bed and board. Are there yet Puritans among us? They are still taking notes"
 The following resolutions on the death of Miss Mary Merriman Abbott, for four years president of the state fed eration, and later vice-president and also chairman of the education of the i general federation, who died March 23 1907, were adopted by the council to- day;
 1 Resolved, That the members of the Connecticut State Federation of Wo- mems clubs desire to express theil deep sorrow and sense of irreparable loss in the death of their beloved lead CT and co-worlser, Miss Mary Mertimar Abbott.
 1 In her official position as president of the state federation for four years and later in her official connection with the general federation, she exerted an influence that aroused enthusiasm
 broadened the work of the clubs and developed methods not for self-culturt l only, but also for the wider work ot humanity, where the life of one may touch the lives of many.
 As an educator she excelled. Her well-informed mind, her bright person. ality. her intellectual accomplishments and charms. her oonsecration tc educational ideals. all joined to awaken l in those with whom she was associated as teacher, the strongest desire for genuine elf-improvement, free from the mere superficial attainment of knowledge
 As woman and friend, the inspiring force of her noble character called out the best in those who were. privileged with her companionship. Her own lofty motives, her rare common sense her fairness in estimating others, her joyous spirit and sincere devotion to | duty united to form character as