Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-02

Believe me. the marriage contract is
the remedy for the divorce evil People
will object on the ground that II does
away with romance. but there isn't much
romance left, anyway. after five years Of
matrimony, and there would be deal Of
comfort in a home where the husband
and wife were both living up to the bar
gain they had made before they were
married"
feel sure that the Divorce Judge" is
right. and that nothing would do more
to insure domestic peace and happiness
than for a man and a woman TO have a
definite understanding before they were
married as to the duties and obligations
they were undertaking.
For example, there is nothing that there
Is quite as much friction about in the
average household as there is about
money. The majority OF men refuse TO
give their wives any regular allowance,
and the women writhe and chafe under
the injustice that makes them have to go
like beggars to their husbands for every
cent they need for household expenses.
All Of this could be avoided II there had
been marriage contract in which It was
specifically stated what part Of his in
come a man should hand over TO his wife.
The in-lsw problem is. another con-
tinual source Of discord. The wife rebels
at having her husbands mother under
her roof. The husband fumes and frets
al having his wife's mother poking her
nose into his affairs. All Of this trouble
could be avoided II the marriage contract
stated that neither party would have to
live with the others family and that fam
Ily visits were to have time limit upon
them.
Personal liberty. that boon dearest TO
the heart Of humanity and which Is gen
orally sacrificed in matrimony, might
also be secured by Il contract when
would state in black and white that both
the husband and wife retained the right
to their own Individual religion and pol
tiles and 10 exercise the privilege Of eat
ing what they liked. and Of having an
occasional evening off. A very liberal
contract might even go farther and
specify that each one secured TO himself
the privilege of taking a vacation from
matrimony every now and then.
Certainly a man has a right to have
II written in his contract that his wife
shall keep a neat home and set we'll pre-
pared food before him, and not force him
to live in boarding houses or hotels. and
the woman has a right to hold out for
pay envelope for her services and not be
expected to work for her board and
clothes Also she has a right to suplate
that her husband shall treat her with az
much politeness and consideration as he
would II she were not his wife.
Undoubtedly the thing that makes
matrimony so often failure Is its blight
ing disappointment when one finds that
( the husband or wife falls 50 far short Of
ones expectations. II the man knew be
forehand that the wife he was marry
ing hated children. that she would not
keep house, that she was selfish and ex-
travagant; II the woman knew that the
man was stingy and boorish and would
| lead her a sorry dance. how few weddings
there would be.
The merit of the marriage contract Is
that it would at least prepare a couple
for what they were about to receive and
give them a chance 20 back out II the
provisions were not to their liking.