The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-20
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ARE arlLl s6sY3ANp SOMETHING & Z 4 Il 4,
WILL SOON COME FROM I;
THEIR EFFORTS.

TRENTON, N. J., Dec. 2o.-The ef.
ficacy. IL the uniform divorce law pro-
posed by the national divorce con-
gress, toy which the governors OF forty
one States sent delegates. will soon
be tested ! in New Jersey, the legisla-
ture Of THIS State having passed a stat
ute In accordance with the recommen-
datIons Oh the congress. The new
law. whiahlIs the first practical result
Of the national divorce congress. will
go Into effect on the first OF the year.
Under the provisions Of, the act, a
marriage may be .annulled when It Is
shown tP have been void OF reason OF
age. kiHship, incapacity or a living
wife or husband. An absolute divorce
may be secured only on two grounds
l-infdelfty or willful and obstinate de.
sertlon fpr years. A limited divorce.
or separation. may be secured upon
proof OF extreme cruelty. That is all
there Is TO the new law Those who
are merely incompatible or who have
found an AFFINITY" will have to stay
married. IN New Jersey, and in other
States asi well. II the efforts Of the
divorce reformers to spread the law
upon the tatute; books OF other States
are successful! 1t is hoped by this
means to do away with migratory d.,
yorce--the going from one State to
another for the purpose Of taking up
residence long enough to secure di.
yorce on grounds not allowable In the
State Of original residence.
Friends OF the measure are, jubilant
at Its adoption by New Jersey and are
hopeful that the results will be so sat
isfactory, III the way Of reducing the
number of divorces,as to induce the
Legislation iof other States to pass such
a law. file. anti-divorce crusaders
state that there has been an increase
OF nearly 100000 in the number of
divorces granted in the United States
during tie last two decades over the
previous twenty. years. In the pas.
twenty years. 1t is stated. thore have
been 100000 divorces in this couu.
try. This state of affairs, the reform.
ers alleGei is due to the conflicting
statutes In the various States aud the
ease with which divorce may be Sc
cured in some OF the States.
While the supporters Of the uni.
form law believe that It affords no
loopholes through which the unhappliy
married may escape, without adequate
reason. the opponents OF the statute
declare that II will serve no useful
purpose and will only result In III.
creasing marital infldelity. Divorce
lawyers openly boast that n horse anil
wagon may be driven through the law.
In cases where husband and wife mu.
tually desire divorce. 1t will only be
necessary 1t Is pointed out. for the
husband to provide proof" of infidel.
ity, when the courts will be forced to
grant Il divorce to the wife. This no.
toriously Is done in States which per-
init divorce only on the ground of adul.
terry. An attempt to prevent such col.
fusion was made in New York State
by the passage of law making adul.
terry a crime, but 1t has already be.
come dead letter, owing to the i'm.
possibility of securing evidence strong
enough to convict In criminal case.
Evidence that wifi be accepted as
proof Of infidelity In divorce case
has never been considered by the
courts as sufficient to convict of
crime.