Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-04
TOO NUMEROUS
Are Divorces in Kennebec,
Says Judge Beane.
Law Should Forbid Union Of
Mentally and Physically Untit.l
Parents Should Give Wise Counsel
To Their Boys and Girls.

A talk which was not only replete
with human interest and full of the
person 4lity of the speaker but also
went to the root Of the divorce prob
lem was that given, Tuesday evening,
before the Mems Club of the Winthrop
Street Universalist church by Judge
Fred Emery Beane of the Kennebec
county superior court.
Judge Beane stated at the outset
that from 125 to 40 divorces were
granted annually in the seven terms of
court in Kennebec county, Absolute
~ too many" he declared. Divorce
cases We're, for the most part, like the
testimony in them, repetition, one Of
another.
He expressed his belief that too
much energy was directed towards the
wrong end of the divorce evil and
that education which would make d.
vorces much less frequent should be-
gin with the boy and girl, just as
should be done in the case of the evil
of intemperance. I'VE are not as care
full in the breeding of our boys and
girls as we are of our hogs and heif-
ers, our horses and dogs" insisted
Judge Became. He advocated in addition
to the present law forbidding mar
riage within certain degrees of rela-
tionship, legislation prohibiting the
marriage of man and women who were
not physically and mentally sound.
After speaking of the causes at
present recognized for divorce in this
State he came down to certain con-
crete conditions in this county and
called attention to different causes for
divorce which predominated in diff
ferent localities. In certain section
in the northern part of Kennebec
county many of the divorces are
granted for statutory offence, while
in the city of Gardiner non support
is a very frequent cause, He explain
ed the Gardiner situation by the fire.
quent marriage of men coming from
other states to local girls employed in
the shoe shops, these men in some in
stances securing work after time
in Other states and failing to have
their wives join them.
Marriage is something more than
living together: unless each one is
.willing to do much for the other in
the way of mutual forbearanee and
yielding the marriage cannot be hap
py one" said he "Most of us are not
treating our wives as we should; they
nave q right to growi about household
drudgery, when we pass the greater
part of our evenings away from
home
Judge Beane declared that the mat
ter of the custody of the children,
children, which in this State is entire
ly within the jurisdiction of the court.
hi
anything else connected with the
granting Of divorce DEGREES and cited
a number of instances in illustration.
He said that the church should exert
great influence in lessening the num-
Der of divorces and spoke of The great
influence which the Catholic church
had in diminishing the number of di-
vorees when men and women live
their lives right the divorce courts will
have nothing to do" insisted the
speaker.
He advocated q more kindly spirit
upon the part of those who were lead
ing decent lives towards those who
had fallen and spoke with much feel
ing in regard to the work done in up
lifting the fallen by Rev. ]. w. Steele.
the pastor of the Universalst church
at Halowel He advocated closer in
timaey on the part of parents with
their boys and girls so that the boys
and girls would be willing to tell their
parents when they were tempted, thus
giving the parents an opportunity to
counsel and guide them.
Business Meeting and Luncheon.
The business meeting, which preced-
ed the address. was presided over by
President Leon o. Tebbetts. r. w.
Pope, Weston Lewis, George w. Wick
cry. E. l.. Merrill and Stanley X.
Hawkins were appointed committee
to have charge of the next meeting of
the club. President Tebbetts ANNOUNCE
ed that among the speakers who haU
been secured for the winter We're
Chief Justice William p. Whitehouse.
State Highway Commissioner Parker
l.. Hardison and Chief Engineer Cyrus
G. Babh of the State Water Storage
Commission.
A buffet luncheon followed the ad-
dress of Judge Beane. This luncheon
was served by committee consist
ing of Rev. L. w. Coons, Leon O. Teb-
belts, W. M. Cash, A. d. Weeks and
c. t. Metcalf.