The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-09-26
TAFT SCORES
DIVORCE EVIL
Tells Kansas People Something Must
be Done; Urges Uniform Dl-
vorce Laws.
BIGGEST CROWDS OF TRIP
HEAR THE PRESIDENT TALK
Even Doxen Addresses From Divorces
to Tariff Revision Made
During Monday.

KANSAS CITY. Mo-. Sept 25.-
President Taft arrived in Kansas City
tonight to address the National Con-
servation Congress. He had spent q
busy day I'm Southeastern Kansas.
making addresses at eleven OF the
prosperous towns that dot that Sec
! ton OF the State. The President
was tired. but happy. over the
warmth OF the reception that pro-
gressive Kansas had given him.
Everywhere the presidential train
stopped great crowds waved a greet
Ing to the chief executive and willing
ly braved torrid sun to listen to
him. The day was one OF intense
heat
The crowds were the largest the
President has faced during any OF
his travels. The population OF some
OF the cities had been swelled to
twice the normal size. Exclusion
trains were run from many direc-
tions. while farmers drove into town
IN automobiles and various sorts OF
rigs.
Tariff and vetoes.
Mr.. Taft confined himself largely
to the vetoes of the wooden, free list
and cotton tariff bills. He gave his
hearers to understand that he was
ready and more than willing to sign
any bills reducing the tariff, II the
measures were founded upon the re-
port OF the tariff board. This board.
the President said. would be ready
10 report on the woolen schedule the
first OF December.
Aside from his tariff speeches. the
President spoke briefly on marriage
and nfUnrpa ha.
people of Kansas and on the trusts.
At Humboldt. in discussing the me-
cessityl of uniform laws governing
marriage and divorce. the President
said:
1T is very awkward, TO say the least.
that man who is married on one
eide OF a state line. may not be mar
ried on the other The increase of
divorces in this country is a reflection
upon the laws and their loose admins
tration. We ought not to permit the
marriage tie TO be dissolved at will.
You say we ought not to keep un-
happy people together Who brought
them together? We did not. IL they
got together under a contract. why
should not they be bound TO the con-
tract, unless one or the other does
something, which in the eyes of all
men ought TO permit or require at
least reparation. If not a divorce.
Dangers Pointed Out.
The trouble is not that in an in
dlvidual case demoralization follows
because they are separated, but the
trouble is that when a man or a woman
feels that it is only a questio OF op-
ton with her whether she still live
with er husband or he with his wife.
then with the option before them, they
conduct themselves in such a way
very frequently as necessarily to lead
to a breach.
1t Is the ability to and the prospect
OF getting a divorce that demoralizes.
We ought have a general uniform law
on that subject that stlffens up and
makes sacred the marriage tie. II
agree that it Is not possible in this
state and under present conditions to
make marriage absolutely indissolubIe,
but IL is possible to make divorce diff
hcult so that it cannot by obtained by
collusion and only when one party or
the other shall have done something,
that all men regard as necessarily ef- /
fecting the obligation OF the marriage
tie"
Following his conversational address
here tonight. President Taft left
again for Kansas. and will spend Tues
day and Wednesday in that state.