The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-06
NEVADA DIVORCE
LAWS ALL RIGHT
CITIZENS OF OTHER STATES WHO
PROSTITUTE THEM. SAYS GOV
ERNoR oDDIE.
VARIETY OF VIEWS
SOME OF THE GOVERNORS BELIEVE
IN PAT-rERNING AFTER SOUTH
CAROLINA~4yD ABOLISH
DIVORCES.

stoutly defending the Nevada d.
vorce laws, which, he declared, were
not prostituted by citizens of his State
but by people OF some of the "holler-
than-thouf Eastern States, Governor
Tasker L. eddie. the bachelor execu-
tive of the Western Commonwealth,
created mild sensation at the after
noon session OF the governors confer
ence yesterday.
Curious to learn the views of the
governor of the State which is some
what famous for the Reno divorce
colony. the auditorium was packed
when Governor eddie began the read
ing of his address
In defending the laws of his State
the governor was careful to tell his
hearers that they were not at all
proud of the Reno colony. and. in
fact, 1t was a sore spot with his peo'
pie. and, further, the next iegisla'
ture Is to increase the length of resi-
dence necessary to secure divorce by
resident sfrom six months to one
year.
Problems of Sociology.
Governor eddie declared that the
problems Of marriage and divorce are
not theological, but purely sociology
cal; that they involve principles OF
eugenics and not religious conven-
tons. and that the law of Church on
legislature which compels pure wo-
man to live with hestial or dis
eased husband is Infamous in the ex-
IRENE.
When any law OF civil govern
ment." said Governor Oddie "contro-
y, tnt, &c
worsted. With the best Of Intentions
congress or legislature may pass a
law attempting To regulate. for exam
pie, the Law OF supply and demand
Nature proceeds TO nullify the statute
with sublime indifference, and as the
resultant OF the workings at cross pur
poses of the two laws. effects obtain
that are often entirely unanticipated
In every Instance when We. ATTEMPT
by statute TO contravene any natural
economic or social law, We find thai
the conflict between the two is such
as to lead TO new and perhaps seri-
Gus trouble.
1T is interesting TO learn that ar
overwhelming proportion OF the Ne
vada divorce colony comes from
about four or Ave Atlantic coas'
States, the divorce laws OF which are
Of considerable antiquity and CORE
spending harshness. And that tbs
States with reasonable divorce laws
have contributed practically no mem
, bers to the Nevada divorce colony.
Nevada Doesn't Want II.
Nevada does not want this divorce
| business The results OF the recon
election IN the State indicate with
1 some positiveness that the comins
! legislature will amend the residence
| section OF the act so that a bona fld'
| residence of at least one year, instead
| OF six months. will be required in al
| cases where the cause Of action arose
| outside the State, and I shall SO rec
| ommend in my message to the legfs'
! lature.
| ri believe frmly in uniform divorc,
| laws among the States. But not such
uniformity as would mean a back
ward step for States having rationa
modern divorce laws in order TO Sc
| cure uniformity with States INSISTING
| upon divorce laws predicated on views
| entertained century or more ago
! and out Of keeping with modern con
ditions. The general adoption of such
| a measure as that proposed by th'
American Bar association would no
/ require any radical modification o
/ the 4NeNddd law ~ NchAct VI w -
/ while II would effect an almost revo
/ lutionary change in the laws OF GER
! tain of the older States
/ Governor Hawley's Plan.
In his plea for health certificates 10
matrimonial candidates Governor Cd
die was upheld by Governor James II
| Hawley. OF Idaho. who followed hin
with a paper bearing on the sam
subject
Governor Hawiey set down sever
causes for divorce which he believed
the States should agree upon: adul
terry. bigamy, conviction OF felony, in
/ tolerable cruelty, willful desertion TO
two wears, hopeless insanity OF hus
band. and habitual drunkenness 70
two years. He endeaVored briefly an'
| in AN elementary way to present
working basis for uniform laws on TIL
! subject, and did not enter as dix
| Governor eddie, into any discussion o
the great moral issues involved.
! Several Of the other governors
notably Governors Blease. Baldwin an.
! Carey earnestly, in opposition
10 divorce at all, and Governor Hadle!
presented a plan OF legal investiga
| ton In such cases which had ma
! terially lessened the evil. The discus
sion swung during the afternoon from
| the debate on this subject to the dis
cussion on the other topic before tn
conference-keeping the drift of TIL
|