THE LATEST YANKEE NOTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81849, 22 September 1906, Page 4

THE LATEST YANKEE NOTION.

LICENSING LOVERS. Professor Charles Zueblin. lecturer of Chicago University 011 Municipa. government and president of the American League of Civil Improvement, once more proposes a plan far improving the institution <i matrimony. Some linv ;igo Profe.-sor Zueblin caused much discussion by advocating a systim of marriage i.n appiobation. arguing that the greatest facilities should be offeied for the dissolution of marriages in the event of their proving unsuitable. In this new plan the professor proposes increased precautions against unsuitable marriages instead of greater facilities for their dissolution. In effect, the suggestion is for so ordering the period of an engagement that betrothed couples should have every opportunity of becoming acquainted with one another's faults and foibles. Professor Zueblin proposes that there shou'd be two ceremonies, the first constituting the legalising of the betrothal and the second six months after, binding the couple to indissoluble marriage. Engagement licenses should be issued by the county or State on payment of a fie as in the case of marriage Hcetfies. The engagement contract should be for a fixed period of six months, neither more nor less, and marriage should be prohibited before the end of the term. If within a certain period after the expiration of the engagement license marriage does not follow, the contract, according '0 the plan, would be autcmatically dissolved. unless it were renewed. The professor maintains the belief that the 1 majority of marriages which turn out unsuitable would never get beyond the legalised engagement stage 1 provided by his p'an.