Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-08


voree would be less desirable than II
now is" continues Judge Sanborn
1t certainty cannot re gaInsald
that but for such avenue N escape.
many upright, virtuous women would
by an unfortunate marriage. lie sen
fenced 20 a lifetime Of torment which
might Deggar description. with now
and tnen perhaps an unfortunate man
IN like situation This. ] am sure all
VIII recognize as a possible EVIL wi1Icn
we'll might be q subject 3f Legislative
correction
On the other hand. alVorce easily
secured ana cou1moni- resorted 70.
NAV well be said 70 be productive OF
another set IF evils so obnoxious n
their nature ana so destructive 81 al!
which makes for good citizenship. and
human happiness that the matter ot
safeguards ana retrencnmenr might
weii form q subject -or most careful
consideration.
But any lntalLgent canvass OF mis-
phase Of the subject would call Tor q
Tucn more complete ser IF data than
: have AT my disposal or ave had me
agures, the result IF some natures
n the once OF me clerk If courts 80
nv owr county. ana Few EeneraIIza-
lions based upon a very hrsef oppor-
unity for observing Gle situation.
And I am forced % say nat these
do not present 4 picture SUCH IS one
would wish tor
increas,nu divorces
The Lockets in cumberland county
snow that n 1879 one ilYorce action
was entered n $40 TWO: 81 s4a. one.
in 1850 one: IN 1850 -: n 1870. =. N
1880. 20: n ISsg 80 n l@pG. 134: III
1slp. lss. wnile me rour- year 5Ist
closed mas seen a Total of @@6 divorce
entries
IT course. Il WIZ be asked * once
now AIS increase - 20 be accounted
TOR. In nv mind there are many
causes. but ] would not by any means
undertake - appra-se their respective
Importance As factors,
In The hrst pace. iGere las been
substantial ana continuous increase N
population, >econuly. rae proportion
of native stock mas decreased. while
The rural population ras decreased.
wnIie ne urban population las M
.1enseiy increased. There vas an g.
peclaAE not.cea bic inCGease Of divorce
actions curing the wears II ne C.v1!
War; this excessive Increase aas also
/ been noted n connection WIZ IRE
World War. and ! lave 40 aoubt nat
the INCIDENTS connected WIKI re gong
into the military service of .arge mum
bers Of Young men. incidents which
, are probably n the minds II a.! nv
! hearers. nave been productive. n
consequence If hastv ana LADY fsed
marriages. ot .arce Increase n d.
vorce
tut % nv mind oversnaaow
al these factors. g a act when We
cannot. by any sophistry ~ 7pylmlsm.
avcid recognizing, ana mai is hat
there has been. with ne accumulation
OF me Years. N increased loosenlnc
Up OF the moral and religious -ens on.
MANY Of me christian virtues. 1
nruliy believe are as Leeply m
planted n the human breast and are as
general today rs ever: tor Instance
thy with the down trCdden. beEevo-
lence and the Ike but when It comes
TO such virtues as are he uutcone II
inc eternal struggle n ne human
breast between The forces 81 good ana
nT evil ! am convinced taat standards
have sun ered materially Tor several
generations asst past. ana an
equally convinced mat oniv q facing
about ana the development Il q more
widespread expression u All ire viz
tues lnculcated BY the Holy Gospels
Will SO improve the moral average IS
to set me tide \ ne opposite lirec-
iton.
Legislation may help out. LIT ike
Legislation n ali oIher matters. 4 VIII
be tound 20 follow. il cannot iorce
the lssue. Improved Legislation. n 50
TAR as Il expresses an improved public
sentiment ana purpose, Will De wei
come. u can do but LITTLE n me way
of determining mat sentiment ana
purpose.
In reply 20 DR., Tyson's question:
Judge Sanborn replied hat me law
has done very little 20 far IN deter
mining the mental conditions II me
divorces. Judge Sanporn SAID nat
he had Observed. as Il ayman. hat
il seemed % him mat 4 very iarge
proportion n divorce cases were ri
rather }ow order Of mentality. He
said further. mat the people VINO own
property ana pay taxes ana VINO are
considered the" people If the COM
Inunlty furnished small numbers OF
divorces. He said this was a very
pleasant Phase Of me conditions.
Miss Florence S. choate
statistics relative 70 1tlegltiIrra cy.
prlor 10 1919 could not pe furnished
70 a great extent. said Miss Florence
s Choate. formerly Of the Bureau Of
Vital Statistics. II s the custom. she
said 70 keep an mex Of he names
OF the mothers Of the children. The
mother may marry Or he child may
be later adopted. thus The records are
available Most Of ne tieglc.mate
records are marked plainly. Ana
some Of them. I must say. almost 5ru-
tally" said Miss Choatc. The word
unknown ) placed opposite me
fathers name one town clerk VINO
thought he might be out If the ordi-
nary said. where the name II the
father should have been written. Z
Piuribus Cnum. ana another. She
hasn't decided yet" Sometimes the
name of the alleged father - given
Thus II can be seen why the name
of the mother 5 the Indication on me