The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-23
vERMoNT's NAME BEsMIRcHED.

At the time when all loyal Vermont
ers are striving to make the state
known as one of the most progressive
and entcrprising commonwealth in the
country it hurts to be widely advertised
rs the Gretua Green of New England.
Everybody interested in public affairs
and in civic bctterment has argued fer
uniform divorce laws as one means OF
social uplift. Uniform marriage laws
are equally essential All of the New
England states except Vermont require
at the present time that five days notice
of intention Of marriage shall be filed
before the ceremony is performed when
the proposed contracting parties are
uon-rcsidents OF the state, and in New
Hampshire and Massachusetts. the two
states of this section with which Vcr-
mont is most intimately connected, the
same provision applies alike to residents
and ron-resideuts
n Many towns OF the state do not feel
the harmful and In some eases shame
ful effect of our present law, which per
nit, people from outside, on hasty mar
riagc bent, to step off train here, get
a license five minutes after arrival and
have the nuptial knot tied in another
five minutes 10y minister or justice of
the peace, who pronounccs the solemn
words OF what should be the most sacred
ceremony known TO civilization.
BrattloboIo and Rockingham, from
their geographical locations and railway
connections, get q large part Of this for
ei-n marriage business. In 1916 the
number OF couples married in Brattle-
boro was so, and in 492 eases both OF
the persons were uon-residents Of the
state. In Rockingham the condition
was even worse, 1,064 marriages being
performed or about - times the num-
Der that would be expected under nor
NAL conditions The increase is grow
ing rapidly since the state gained its
uuenviable reputation, the number Of
marriages in Brattlcboro being about
double that in 1918. In Rockingham in
1915 the record was POO, so that the in
crease in 1916 was approximately 500
per cent If this increase should be
maintained in 1917 it would mean over
5000 marriages in a town of about
5000 population. Heaven only knows
and we don't believe heaven does
where the record will go if the present
| law remains unchanged.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure,
is an old adage. This is the kind OF
leisure the Vermont law is providing foi
the people of ncighboring states, par
tieularly Massachusetts. Some of the
marriages performed during the past
| few months have been followed by NAL
| odorous scandals. Couples coming her,
have falsihcd their ages in order TO get
4 married. in some cases where it wa,
/ evident to the justice of the peace thai
/ wouid-bc-nowly-wcds were lying the,
were refused a license, with the result
\ that they Travelled along to some othe
! bailiwicl where the justice was not s.
discerning. Elopements to Vernon
I when couples could not legally be mar
ried in their own state have been frc
\ qucnt. In few eases where a run
! away girl had consented to be married
l although under age, the father o
mother has arrived in time to proven
the knot from being tied.
II is true that New York 5 marriag
laws are as lax as those of Vermont
ond that the western part of the stat
does not feel besmirched with the no
toricty incident to our present condi
tions. The eastern part of the state
! however, has a right to demand