No Law to Fit the Case

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 30, 1908

No Law to Fit the Case

THE officials of the United States have found, in the recently acquired insular possessions, conditions which seemed to demand alteration for the good of the people. In these islands so long under papal domination the illegitimate birth-rate has been extraordinarily large. The fee which the priest demanded for the performance of the marriage ceremony has been so large that thousands have lived together as husbands and wives without the performance of any marital rites or sanction of priest or law. To remedy these conditions, civil marriages have been legalized, and are being performed by justices. This has been very displeasing to officials of the Catholic Church, largely, no doubt, on account of the loss of the large marriage fees. In this connection we quote the following news item from San Juan, Porto Rico, dated March 23:—

Last week the federal grand jury indicted Rev. Fathers Vega and Janices for printing in the Ideal Catholic an article stating that marriages celebrated by judges constitute a state of concubinage, and that the children of such marriages are illegitimate. Judge Robey quashed the indictments to-day on the ground that the offense is not covered by the federal statutes.