The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-01-18

Guthrie, OKLA. Jan. 17.-lf tho
proposition advanced by the minis.
tcrial alliance of this city, and re.
cciyed with favor by other ministers
in various parts Of the state, to
initiate law allowing divorce for
Biblaal grounds only should be act.
ed upon favorably by the people OF
the state. Oklahoma could claim the
distinction of swinging from one eX.
tromr of the pendulum to the other
i'm the matter of divorce legislation.
/. has been only u few years since
Oklahoma was the easiest place in
the country, with the possible eX.
ocpuon Of the Dakotas. to get q
divorce. The cream of society was
composed OF would.be Divorces, and
business became too heavy for the
district courts, SD that even the
rrohat" courts were allowed for
time to grant divorces.
While of course an tnat has becn
done away with for several years
past, the divorce situation in Ok
lahoma at the present time is wor.
ryiug the social students who are
paying especial attention to that
problem and is far from satisfaotor.
10 the ministers of the state, who
are heading the new reform move.
mcnt. Investigation Of the court
records at Oklahoma city recently
showed that in eight months, time
ij7 marriage licenses had been is
sued ana 2i> d'yorcdi granted,
showing nearly half as many di.
yorcrs as weddings. Incomplete re-
turns made by DR.. j. G. Mahr,
state health commissioner, under
the vital statistics law passed by
the first legislature, show almost
a, high percentage of divorces,
Figures compiled by the United
States government after careful in
ycsugaion, are said to show high
e." percentage of divorces in Okla
hcma ot the present time than in
any other state in the union.
The first step in the campaign
launched by the Guthrie ministers
viii be- the holding Of an open meet
ing ON February :. to discuss the
dNorc, question, at which the prop
osiliou of initiating new law, al.
lowing divorce only on Biblical
grounds viii be brought forward and
discussed. If the sentiment at that
meeting seems TO be sufficiently IA
NCublo, bill will probably be
drafted at once and initiative petit
tions with copie. OF the bill sent
o. every minister in the state to
circulate among the members of his
congregation and others, who might
be favorable to the restriction Of
the divorce evil.
rur Rev. f. D. Cameron, state su-
Eorintcndont of public instruction,
VINO g., also pastor Of the First Bap-
list church here. and number of
the ministerial alianc is prima-
rily responsible for the new cam
plivu. I'm recent address before
the state teachers associations, he
deprecated the pr yalence of ii.
vor,c in oklahoma, and advocated
the teaching of domestic science "a
q pana'oa, declaring that it would
make girl want to get married and
stay married
\ large number Of peopl Of ma
tional prominence claimed their res
ideuce in Oklahoma for f~r
months during the quick divorce
period Among them ",rc Mrs JAS
c. Blaine, Jr. who secured sepa
ration from her husband in tao
district court in Ok.ahoml county,
Lillian Blauyelt, the famous actress
WHO became a resident of Oklaho.
na city to secure legal srparl.
',o' from her husband H. trc dis
ttVt court IN Dkllhpml county,
ana Countess l2naga, granlmothcr
oi the present Duke of Manches-
ter. remembered her. as the most
beautiful ot all ;a9 m'mp'ts o' the
divorce ,u.ong yNo IS now living
m retirement in the south
Col Nathaniel Mckay, wei
known as a Washington hotel man
and capitalist, was an oklahoma
diyur,tc, as was Ms. Helen Church
il Clndce, the novelist, who gath
cred the material for her book, AN
Oklahoma Romance" during her
riuety days residence in Guthrie
The list Muludcd at least one prom
ju.nt English Woman, who after.
ward married member of parlia-