Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-11-30
Marriage Statistics.


The common haoit has been to csti-
mate this tendency BY its relations to
certain social conditions rather than
10 essential human nature. Or course
vast many dispositions toward mar.
riage have been stopped by limited
means and social obstacles, yet those
dispositions are none the less facts
that are to be taken into account, and
likely to give signs OF themselves in
the long run. Many a real desire
does not become apparent in act, and
we must try IN every way TO note the
existence and the desire. Thus, look
to very important set OF obserya-
tions upon marriages Of an unusual
kind That very few marriages take
place before the age OF sixteen is ex-
planned by the absence of the neces-
sity and the want OF ability to keep
house; but that more marriages are
found to take place-as in Belgium
il 1s40-45-Eetween persons from
thirty TO thirty FIVE years Of age than
between persons from twenty tive to
thirty years by no means proves
that the marriage tendency was
greater at the former period, and it
may he accounted tor by prudential
considerations, and the relative thrift
of the parties. We are to take fair
estimate OF the elements that enter
into the marriage movement.
There is much truth III the saying
OF Montesquieu, shat wherever a
family can live at ease a maraiage
takes place." and this remrrk indi
Gates materially the point OF connec-
ton between the frequency of mar
rage and the prevailing social econo'
my. The universal instinct moves
according to conditions that do not
depend on individual will, and yet
these conditions follow certain or
der, as has been very clearly shown.
1t is only remarkable that there is
less regularity in the absolute and
relative frequency of marriages than
IN the thousand manifold combina-
tions in respect to the age and civil
state of the parties as we'll As OF the
season OF the year OF the marriage.
This regularity extends to all ages
and positions, and it is more certain
what will be the proportion OF youths
and mai1ens, bachelors and widows,
or widowers with maidens, widows
for the second or third time married,
early marriages between sixteen and
twenty one years, or late between
thirty and fifty years, or abnormal
after fifty, sixty, or eighty years, or
of young men under thirty with ell
derry women over forty five, yes,
even over sixty or seventy years;
and OF young women from seventeen
to twenty five to men OF seventy
wears and over, which may we'll be
called monstrous, or marriages OF cal
cuia,ion-we say that it is more GER
tain what proportion of such various
classes Of marriages will take place
than what is the whole average num-
Der of marriages. Strange as it
seems, it is true, that the universal
proportion seems less regular than
the special. But the reason is obyi.
Gus. from the fact that while the
Whole number OF marriages depends
much on the times and changing lot
OF the people, the various classes OF
marriage depend more upon general
causes that belong to human nature
in general. A year Of famine or
pane will reduce the rate OF mar
riage. but they who do marry will be
likely to chow the same variety OF
tastes, intirmities, calculation, tore.
thought, or folly, as in more prosper
Gus times. The tables show tina, in
fourteen different States OF Europe
the lowest average OF marriages was
the year OF faminc-lsI1-that fol
lowed the poor harvest of 1916. In
Prussia the number OF marriages III
1917 was l to .129 persons, in Eng
land to 129 persons, and III France
l to l42 persons, in place OF the larg-
er proportion OF tue year before,
which records l marriage to every
1l6, ll6, 131, scverally, in those
countries.
Throughout all these changes in
absolute and relative numbers, it is
surprising to observe the regularity
i'll the station of the parties. Thus,
in France, during three periods OF
five years each-irom 1886 to 1851
the proportion of bachelors and
maids was s. per cent. in 100 mar
riages, with only fraction difference;
the proportion OF bachelors and wild
ows was ) per cent, with the same
tritling variation; and the proportion
of widowcrs and maids was 8 per
cent, and only in the case OF widow
ers and widows there was a falling
off Of about l per cent. in the usual
average of 3 per cent. in the years
lS4l.45. Change the grouping Of
the figures TOR the same three periods
OF five years each, and We have only
a fraction variation in the average
number of different classes married.
Bachelors average little over 43 IN
100, MAIDS little over 46, widowers
a little over 6, and widows somewhat
over 3 in 100. In eight nations the
tables show, tor period OF from sew
en- to ten years, the following aver
age number for every 1000 marriag
es: young men to maids, S1l; bach
elors to widows, So; widowers tc
maids, 106; widowers to widows, 50
II is interesting to note the varia
tions Of the marriage rate in the prln
c,pal countries OF Europe for ter
years. and it is a memorable fac,
that Prussia takes the lead, and he1
rate OF marriages ls44-53) is SCI te
100000 people, while England (lS45
54) gives SIT; Austria (lS425D s3s
and France (lS44-53) 7SS. Bavari'
shows the smallest average, 659, bu
this onnonc from - 81 ~ rirfiyn laws rath