Show DAKOTA DIVORCES A meral moral issue was submitted to the people of South Dakota November 3 when they the were called upon to consider the tho new divorce laws enacted on March 10 it 1907 which provided for a years 3 residence by the applicant an and trial tria in i in open court at a 3 re regular t term rm The petition peti pet tion hon for the referendum was signed by b 5 per cent of tb the qualified electors as 35 the thc code required The petitioners must have havo regarded the old lId lax divorce law Jaw permitting constructive service six sL months' months residence and dark closet proceedings pro proceedings ro as a good thin thing for South Dakota Da Pa- al a- a l kota an and it was not astonishing that Sioux Falls 35 which notoriously profited hy 13 its divorce mi mill was strongly seated In default of the tho filing ot ox sucha such such- I Ia a petition the ne new law would have e stool stood I as enacted Challenged by the pettifoggers pettifoggers petti petti- I foggers ers and their parasites it now has the sanction of the people and tho the example example example ex ex- ample sot set by hy South Dakota is likely to tobe tobe be bo followed in a spirit of self reproach by try other states st which have not been m in in a position to cast a stone at her j Causes for divorce arc are immorally nn- nn in several of the states Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- 1 haps would be e the apt word t to use for some ome of tho the causes for which r dh oree i is granted may be e regarded as 38 i I b bt be- be mere fictions prompting conspiracy tween the tics parties to the flU suit it and their II to sever cr the tho relation J Divorce reform aims to eliminate tho the flimsy pretexts for separation and freo free freedom t dom hut hOt as in m t those states where the they I are arc stamped w with validity transient residence and secret hearings s are lle al al- f flowed owed lowed the tho first step in in divorce is is s to pro prohibit hi hit such abuse of procedure o I Publicity n discourages applications to tho the f courts for r divorce on fictitious and mereY mere mere- 3 Y fr frivolous grounds rounds pad find in a state that th t inSIsts upon an adequate term of rC resi residence I- I dence leuce divorce or e colonies can not bo be fos fos- os' os cred d. d The action artion of the people o of South Ua Dakota Va Da of ot kota cota will make miiko a stir in jn every othe the he union union that is cursed by bJ bad divorce di A laws aws and antI reformers will bo be emboldened attack the tho evil in inthe inthe to o renew their upon the he le legislatures New legislatures New New York Sun |