National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-18
STARTLING STATISTICS.
Tho Fearful Ratio at Which Divorces Are In
creasing in This Country.
Society Must be RECONSTRUCTED on the
Basis OF the Family.

"Divorce' was the interesting subject Of a
lecture by Rev. Samuel W. Dixie at Congre-
gational church last night The speaker
opened with q narration of tho work Of the
Now England Divorce Reform league, which
is composed Of men of all religious and politi-
cal faiths "In four New England States"
said Mr. Dixie. "the increase Of divorces in
eighteen years was from 700 to 91i. Tho
other two states showed very high rate.
In Maine there were 5S7 divorces in
1880, probably one to every ten
marriages. In New York city divorces
increased from 2l2 in 1870 to BIG in 1892 and
in New Jersey from lbs in 1873 TO 1873 in
1883. Philadelphia doubled her divorces each
ten years. Ohio had / divorce to every 20
marriages in 1865, and to every IL marriages
in 1882. The ratio in Louisville, "a counties
in Michigan, Chicago, and st. Louis is about
/ divorce to every 10 marriages. In Missis-
sippi the two largest counties increased their
divorces so per cent. faster than marriages in
ten years. In California 20 counties report
/ divorce to every 40 marriage licenses
issued. There were also increases, probably
in Maryland, North Carolina, and other
states"
1T is generally true" said the lecturer,
"that the divorce rate, on tho basis OF mar
rago or population, has doubled in the last
bMohb1-hNo VI bhllbg yOhio IN shiS
This follows the increased laxity of the laws
and court procedure. Carelessness in serving
ibels, deficient evidence, and hasty trials
has q good deal to do with 1t. The small
humber of divorces granted In New Jersey
about one to every fifty marriages--is ac-
counted for by the care in procedure. An
other element is the conflicting divorce laws
of the several states. Parties who make the
procuring of divorces trade are as well
acquainted with the different facilities of the
different states in divorce as the merchant is
with the varying facilities of trade. The
recent decision of the highest court in New
York practically reduces the divorce laws Of
that state to the level of all the rest for any
parties who may 90 out of the state for di'
voce. The rural localities usually have as
high divorce rate as the cities.
Some divorces occur among the highest
ranks of society, but the vast majority are
found among the lower and middle classes
and generally among those outside of Christian
congregations. Among the lower classes
of some sections there is q tendency to secure
the ends of divorce without resort to the
divorce courts These can BIO called 'spon'
taneous divorces"
The lecturer cited several cases where mer
snapped their wives. With the increase o
divorce there has been parallel increase o
crimes against chastity-illegitimac and
related vice." Statistics show that in
large majority Of twenty European states tn
divorce rate has increased, although it i
much lower than in the United States. TIL
polygamy of Utah is simply the question o
the family. The Indian problem turns upol
the question Of divofce in some degree
for the proposal to grant land in severalty
and to forbid polygamous marriages is simpl
starting the Indian on the great highway t
civilization which all civilized people hav
trod before him. So, too, in the south, SLAYER
rested on the denial of the rights of propert
and marriage to the colored race. Henc
the need of social reconstruction that sha
center in the home as well as in the schoc
house. The question Of labor and capital
closely connected with the condition of TIL
family.
There are indications that some Of our in
migrant classes coming to us with the 10
morality of Europe to meet the laxer 'divort
system Of the United States, will Guido tho
of native stock in seeking divorces. Properi
is protected by law here, but the home HI
no corresponding defenses.
"In one state 101 wives suffered such o,
IRENE cruelty from their husbands" said NJ
Dixie, "that the courts judged it expedient
break up the families by divorce, and yet N
man among all the 101 husbands W
punished"