A New View Of The Marriage Contract

Ellen Storge ssnds a comniunicalion to the Womaris Advocate of Dayton, Ohio, in which she proposes the following social platform : 1. Let ihe inairiage contract belimited to f rom one to three ycars at the opthis contract is divine : admit that tliis ia but a human transacción, intended to perpetúate the speoies aud produce human happincss. 3. Make both porties equal ; do not exact special prumises or tenns from one eex to its disadvaniage and the advantoge of the other. Exact pledges of mutual fidelity and co operation during the continuanco of the marital cooiract; but let Kive alone. Love i a senfitive, spontaneous outgmwth of the hearf, subjeot to thi' cintrol of Ireatment and circuiusiunces, rather (han lonnnl promises; it is too teuder, tuo sacrcd, íor tbe public gaze. 4. Let the m.'irriage contract embrace the contingency of issie, wiib full and uneqnivucul provisión therefor If one cbild, leí it- custody devolve by writteo and recorded agieemcnt, void during coverture ; if two or more children, the same or división by such agreement, providfd th-it the party refusing to renew the cxpired contract at the instaiicu of thö othtr party, or the offender ia case of premature annulment, shall be compelled to maintain the offspring aiid be the custodian thcreof, at the option of the opposite party. 5. Enact just uch laws for the determiDation of all such cnntingenciea as might arise under tbia new order ot tbings, make them upplicable only to thosc now uomarried ; let there be no ex post facto taint about the matter. During coverturo, as also in the event of non-renewal of the contract, let caoh party control its own finarces; of that thev eball hare together atnasaed let there be an equal división.