Show AGE FOR FOB MARRIAGE in ID the HU ahouee yesterday kenner Is the minimum age at bin bill to increase whick legal marriage may be co con n was made the subject of a lively and prolonged debate which did not result 10 lo anything definite deficit there was wai such bach firmness and diversity what the minimum of opinion BB am to te lawful marriage should betha t age ge for thim the house did not COMO come to a definite upon the point until the toll bill had to go over in favor faver ot of a special order under the present law a male aged 14 jean years or a female aged 12 may imay contract a lawful marriage but bui the loon lent of the parents or guard tang lana la is nee ry when the male to la tinder cinder 21 or the female under 18 conner Ps bill imply proposed coln to in of the male the minimum age to 20 and nd of the female to 16 the committee recommended bat the he minimum 1164 ge be made IS 18 anti na 16 the subject ot of marriage in any of its if anaw to pretty sure eure t ti sirouhie roo much interest int erett in this states state where it is lags baa been studied as ae too no community on earth hb has ever studied it and where an experience has been hau had la 10 with it which so no other people have had among other phase or of the general theme that libat of youthful unions has bai been embraced within the tudy study and experience the people of utah have devoted to the ul arriage question the practical results of early mar flagel la in this ihle community have been of a Guar acter to greatly modify objections to them numerous cases can be cited to which 1116 groom was under 18 or the ills bride under 16 which have been productive of thievery the very best beat results in very respect rea the children have been robust and bright and tile the parents parent happy and nl prosperous and in cur opinion it would be exceedingly good cee gilogly difficult to find an instance in wit in which pronounced evil results of any kind either to te parent or children are positively trace tra sole to early marriage when the female was waa as aa old an aa 16 15 or the male more shad 16 in other worde word the alleged evils of early marriages marria geB ire fre que quenby are greatly exaggerated A reasonable amount of practical experience la is worth an infinitude vl gueory tn ory not having bucak a loun foun bation oa tion and the existing and tangible results of early marriages in utah easily accessible to the he knowledge of any investigator go to show that the minimum ages proposed in the bill and even by the committee may be too high it would be safe afe to make the he age of the male an ai low a sixteen and of the female mis ai low as a fifteen there in a somewhat delicate del leate yet none the lose IOB forcible argument which strongly urges that the age be kept as low BB an it can be in reason it happens wilh too much frequency for the good of our race that the passion of youth la Is not subordinate to the judgment and con science leoce eo in the hour of temptation but the he latter qualities often assert thi after that mat hour boul has pawed passed and create a desire to make amends amenda a far an a possible poul ble in such each cases the law should hould offer no obstacle to practical repentance pen tance and restitution 0 so o far as it IB s to consummate them when a boy or a girl to la old enough to feel an earnest desire or to form a determination to marry there Is often danger that something worse than marriage may occur it if the purpose in thwarted and the least of two wo evils should bould always be chosen in fact to la aab such cases all the evil both moral and physical phy loal which can be urged against early marriages may be produced without any advantage and uch much 0 eulle TI is are general ly enormously augmented by the very fact that they occur outside of the marriage relation As AB a general proposition laws law tending to restrict marriage are very liable to do more harm than good when all their come coma to be consid coald ored ered and a dealous error way may easily be committed by the me legislature in making too high the minimum oge age and in excluding the parents from a voice in the matter of their children a marriage |