The Divorce Congress.
One of the notable conventions of the year was that of the National Divorce Congress which assembled in Philadelphia on Nov. 19 and 20 for the purpose of formulating a uniform divorce law which, it is hoped, would be enacted by all the states of the Union. It was the legislature of Pennsylvania which took the initiative in this matter, not only by codifying and examining its own laws, but by arranging a conference, through Governor Pennypacker, to discuss the matter of uniform divorce laws. This conference was held in Washington last February and a committee was appointed to draw up a model bill to present to all the states. Thirty states and territories were represented at the Congress in Philadelphia and the grounds for absolute divorce, as presented by the committee and adopted by the Congress were:
1. Adultery.
2. Bigamy, at the suit of the innocent and injured party to the first marriage.
3. Conviction and sentence for crime, followed by continuous imprisonment for at least two years, or under indeterminate sentence for at least one year.
4. Extreme cruelty, endangering life or health.
5. Wilful desertion for two years.
6. Habitual drunkenness for two years.