Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-02-09
MONDAY, FEBRUARY .. 1914.
THE RANsDELL RESOLUTION.

Senator Ransdell Of Louisiana has in
PRODUCED a resolution proposing a con
stitutional amendment requiring UNI
form divorce laws throughout the union.
The law will permit separation but viii
take away from divorces the right TO
rcmarry. The proposition should have
the earnest consideration of Congress.
The divorce evil IN Our country j. fright
ful-a disgrace 10 any country where
the Christian religion. though not estab.
lished by law. il the dominant falih.
There has lsrn much said. pro ami
con, on the subject Of divorce. What
ever NAV lee said Of senator Raideli :
resolution, We are face 10 face with the
fact that marriage il no longer the
sacred thing il was. even nifty years ago,
in the United States. Time Was when
men and women entered into the mar
riage relation they felt that the relation
was for life-"until death us do part. :"
The marriage rituals described il uni
fcrmily as holy wedlock." The con
tracing parties openly ayowcd that the
relation was TO have and 10 hold. for
better. for worse, in sickness or in health.
for richer. for poorer. in good and Ill
report" All these solemn pledges IN all
marriage ccrcmonials tended Ia leave a
fixed impression on the minds oi the
%covenanting parties. that the ties in mar
rage were indissoluble. There might he
ia the relation disappointment for both.
In fact the nuptial ideals each had
formed Of III, other were not usually en-
tirely realized; Vet each. believing the tie
must be- permanent made the best Of II.
and making the best of il much happi-
ness resulted and the home remained
permanent. Today i, is probable that
thousands take upon themselves the mar
riaee relation with the ~prccon"civcd no
ton tlat II ,hr ui.tllu proved IA any
mas inccnvcnIcni ID could easily he
broken b. the courts. Thus divorce
propagated itself. The words of all the
marriage rituals are To them mere empty
words. Ii is M longer until death do
US part, but until we each discover
in the other some statutory ground Tor
divorce" II j. doubtful il there il "A
more disastrous element in American
so,iety han It's divorce system.
On the other hand We are frequently
inld OF ~frightiul immortality i'm those
countries where marriage j. said To he
i~rlrvocablc. As a matter of fact the
connection of this immortality with the
marriage ;, stems Of those lands has
never been clearly established. In all
such contentious the fact j. overlooked
that like causes prolurc like effects. We
are told of the hor,icS of illcgitimnic chill
dren in southern Europe and in South
America. and W. are asked 10 believe
that all this is owing "a the inability of
those erring souls Ia rush over 10 the
court house ami get a divorce "whlle
they waii.
Like causes should produce like effects.
Somehow the effects dc not follow in Ire
land. in England. in Scotland. which will
compare iavorably with any countries cn
earth IN the matter of iilrsitimac, aud
where the effects are found il j. cxtrcp.
~ difficult. practically impossible, 10
link the effect with the alleged cause.
Furthermore. ID might he profitable 10
compare rs ,ra m oar c%ountrs when
divorce Was not colnihual With IN perio,l
since il has become common
For the old fashioned souls who still
believe IN the inspiration "f holy scrip
lures. the prohibition of Gods word. as
applied ~ divorce. mu>I outweigh a
thousand a PRIOR arguments of a thou
sand philosophers.