The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-05-25
MARRIAGE WILL
COST MORE

Blanks upon which physicians
qualifications of persons to marry are
being distributed to county audi
tors and will be furnished physicians
before the law goes into effect. AT
ter the 10th of June no one may
marry without presenting a certifi-
cate from a physician attesting their
freedom from disqualifying diseases
or mental deficiency. The law is
stringent and ministers or officials
will face a heavy penalty for disre-
gard of the law.
The enactment is notable step in
the line of eugenics, but Washington
is not leading in the reform. A
number of the eastern states have
had the law in force for several
years. and have found it of much
benefit. One feature of the act that
will strike the public as a proper
provision is the prohibition of mar
riage of girls under Is. Heretofore
it has been lawful for girls of 10 to
marry if parents or guardian consent
ed. The provisions of the new law
are:
mo woman under the age of 45
years. or man of any age, except he
marry a woman over IS years of
age, either of whom is common
drunkard. habitual criminal, epilep-
tic, imbecile, feeble minded person,
idiot or insane person. or person who
has heretofore been afflicted with
hereditary insanity. or is afflicted
with pulmonary tuberculosis in it's
advanced stages. or any contagious
venereal disease, shall hereafter in
termarry within this state.
No clergyman or other person au-
thorized by law to solemnize mar
riages within this state shall here
after perform a marriage ceremony
uniting such persons in matrimony,
unless the female person to such mar
riage is over the age of IS years.
"The county auditor before a mar
riage license is issued shall require
each applicant therefor to file in his
office upon blanks to be provided by
the county for that purpose an aft
iavit of at least one duly licensed
physician other than the persons
seeking the license showing that the
contracting parties are not within
the inhibition above named: proyid-
ed. that in addition. the affidavit as
to the male contracting party shall
show that such male is not afflicted :
with any contagious venereal dis |
eases
"The county auditor shall also re-
quire the affidavit of some disinter-
ested tredtable person showing that !
said persons are not habitual crimi- !
nails; the female is over the age Of
Is years, unless the consent in writ
luS ODIdluCu vi IliC AoIhOA'
or other guardian of the person for
whom the license is required; in
cases where the female is under the
age of IS years and the male under
81 years: provided. that no consent |
shall be given. nor license issued I'M
less such female is over the age of Is .
years. Such affidavit may be sub
scribed and sworn to before any per-
son authorized to administer oaths. !
ANY one knowingly swearing
falsely to the statements contained |
in the affidavits mentioned in this ,
act shall be deemed guilty of per-
jury and punished as provided by
the laws of the state of Washington. |
Any person violating any of the pro-
visions of this act shall. upon convic-
ton. be punished by fine of not |
more than $1,000. or by Imprisonment |
in the state penitentiary for period
of not more than three years. or by
both fine and Imprisonment"