Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1916 — RLOPERS FIGURE IN DIVORCE SUITS [ARTICLE]

RLOPE RS FIGURE IN DIVORCE SUITS

\ Figure* Complied of Those Who (to to Jeffersonville, Ind. td Wed Louisville, Ky.—Divorce proceeding! fellow about half the couples from this r county who slip away to be married in Jtffersbnville, Ind., across the Ohio river from this city. Only about 10 per cent of the couples residing in this county who marry here find, their way to the divorce court. This is given as om of the discoveries from an inquiry into the Question of marriage and divorce conducted by the Men’n Federation of Louisville. The approximate number of licenses Issued in Jeffersonville each year 1* put by the federation at 2000. Of these the women named in 1050 of them art residents of this county and 450 live in other parts of Kentucky. Of the ay proximateiy 2600 licenses issued annually In this county 60 per cent nama women residents in this county, 20 per cent living in other counties of this state and the balance in various otatea. The Men's Federation points out that the Indiana Jaw permits a girl of 18 to marry without the. consent of parents or guardian, -'vtrfiile in Kentucky this catfhot t»e done until she is 21 years old. , "Another contributing cause,’’ the federation says, *is the desire Itt many instances on the part of coupler of all ages to keep the marringe a se crot; and furthermore for some reason cr other, through the years there haa come to be attached to the idea of going to Jeffersonville, Ind., to be married a sort of romance and many couples particularly from Jefferson coun ty, KyS, go to Jeffersonville to be married for no other reason than on account of the romantic feature that ia attached to such a marriage. “These runaway marriages are often conceived on the spur of the moment and are consummated without the slightest consideration of the seriousness of the step which is being taken. Furthermore, it is often true in guch cases that the parties are not in a condition, financially or otherwise to take upon themselves thq cares and responsibilities of married life.” - -

One of the conclusions reached la that “if. the marriage is opposed by the parents of the female there ia, generally speaking, some good reason therefor, and this reason may be the explanation for the ensuing divorce."