“People who want to get married are not objects of charity, and there is no more reason for a law compelling doctors to examine applicants for marriage license free of charge than for a law ordering the merchant to furnish the wedding garments without cost, or compelling a lawyer to write the deed and examine the title for the home of the newlyweds,” said State Senator T.L. Johnson Saturday in reference to the law rushed through the last Legislature, which says it is the duty of physicians to examine applicants for marriage license without charge.
Senator Johnson’s attention was called to the law following an article printed in The Robesonian giving the facts. Physicians wanted to know what kind of a law it was, who introduced it, and why it was contested. Clerk of Court C.B. Skipper found the law only a few days ago, showed it to the register of deeds, and an account of it was published in the following issue of this paper.
The amendment to the marriage laws was introduced by Mr. N.A. Townsend of Dunn, according to Senator Johnson, on the 7th day of March. It was passed during the rush which always characterizes the closing of the session, when bills are introduced by the hundreds, when sessions are held morning, afternoon and night, with no opportunity to read the bills. During this time members of the Senate and the House must depend on the integrity of the members and the vigilance of the calendar committee, whose duty it is to examine and unfavorably report bills that should not pass.
Commenting on the law Senator Johnson said, “I do not regard the law as legally enforceable and were I physician I would disregard it. It is unfair, and clearly discriminatory, and I am satisfied that it never would have become a law if the members had known the provisions of the bill. I believe the doctors do more charity work than any other class of people on earth. They do it cheerfully and gladly in proper cases, but there is no satisfactory reason to be given, so far as I can see, for the law requiring them to examine applications for marriage license without charge.
The amendment does not provide for a penalty in case of violation, but states that it shall be the duty of the examining physician to make such examination without charge.
From the front page of The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., Monday, Feb. 22, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026483/1926-02-22/ed-1/seq-1/
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