The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-03-06
GOVERNOR SIGNS DIVORCE BILL
Also Issues a Statement in Whlcn
He Discusses This Most
Troublesome Problem

Governor Boyle last week signed
the divorce bill an1 the six months
clause relating to residence required
is now in effect. In signing the bill.
the Governor gave out a statement,
from which the following is quoted:
.The question of divorce on which
7 have lust acted is not only one OF
public policy but moreover, one with
which the electorate of this State, as
the result of observation and agita-
ton over long period pro and con,
are thoroughly familiar. The elec-
torate selects rs men to represent it
in the Legislature and to record the
sentiment on these questions with
which it is familiar. The present
Legislature, after according full
hearing to both proponents and op-
ponents of the divorce bill, voted de-
cisively to return to the old system
So of it's members favoring this re-
turn and 22 opposing it. OF those
who voted on the measure, &c were
elected after the campaign of 1914 in
which the subject was generally and
actively discussed. Forty-seven of
these new members voted for the
bill and Is voted against it.
while this vote is not conclusive
evidence that the majority of the
people want the old law, it is certain
ly presumptive evidence that such is
the case and in the absence of con-
vincing showing (which was not at
tempted by the opponents of the bill)
that the Legislature has acted i'm
properly either in failing to record
the will of its constituents or other
wise, am constrained to accept its
judgment.
mo one contends that there is
anything Objectionable in the divorce
law itself though it is claimed that
it will lead to abuses tending to a
lowering of moral standards in the
State and especially -v;shin the town
of Reno. In this connection / have
not lost sight of the fact that this
may or may not be the case depend
ing on the influence which the new
ly enfranchised women of Nevada
will exert in effecting moral ideal
municipal regulations in those towns
where temporary residents seeking
divorce are likely to congregate.
Judging from the experience of other
communities where women have a
voice in public affairs Nevada has
every reason to expect more strin-
gent regulations along moral lines
than it has had in the past and if this
expectation is realized the real and
alleged affronts to the public decency
complained of against the old colony
are not likely to recur, and If they
do not, there can be no basis for the
argument that the six months law
will have in the future any serious
detrimental effects in public morals.
However. since other States have
offered opportunity to those seeking
divorce equal to what we had or
have to offer, | am strongly of the
opinion that the divorce colony will
perhaps never return atall. If after
a practical test this proves to be the
case the whole question will be set
tied automatically.
"The proper and final solution of
this problem is at the polls and it
should be submitted to the voters at
the earliest possible moment. If
considerable proportion of the people
are dissatisfied the immediate refer
endum will. hope, be available and
l have no doubt that, in any event,
it will be invoked not later than in
1916. Moral and social questions on
which the people are divided should,
if possible, be kept out of the Legis-
lature where they tend to obscure
legislation of even greater moment,
to the serious detriment of good gov
ernment."