New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-01
DAZZLING In DIVORCE STATISTICS.

DABBllNG IN DlNOkCE S1Al1Sl1Ns'.
Mr.. WRIGHT ASKS FOR AN EXTRA APPROPRIATION
FoK USELESS INQUIRY.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81 Special Last March
Congress appro. rated $4,000 TO be expended ny
the Bureau of Labor for an nvestigation OF the
statistics Of divorce for the past twenty years
throughout the United States. This was done at
the instance Of Carroll ID. Wright the Mugwump
Labor Commissioner who, having dabbled llttis
in divorce in Massachusetts, was ambitious OF Inc
credit attached 10 "a national inv esugauon liaElhs
secured his appropriation from Congress ne Vooh ~
as a warrant 10 divert a large Iart Of the yearly
sppropriat on for the Bureau, amounting 10
sy2. 900, into this channel. lie claims TO nave
performed this arbitrary act as public onicet'
under what he asserts TO have been the adnlssioh
of the Senate judiciary Committee that his posi-
ton" as he terms it, was correct" In 1ac', ne
contends that he has the right to undertake Ons
any other investigation in his discretion ao
pleasure. Thus he might with the arbitrary author,
ity he believes 10 be trusted 10 him as Chiei Oh
the National Labor Bureau, undertake an invesu-
cation of the condition of the Samoide or
any other absurd thing, but not without final re-
sponsibility OF his act 10 the public
las divorce hlsInes, Certainly was as foreign
as it was possible t. be; At the PRESENT MON 1he
Mr.. Wright has expended not only tho slO,o y
appropriated for the work 81 collecting me o.
the mere work of agents in the field. The i'm
mense amount Of useless statistics winch they have
gathered is now piled up at his office In this city
upon at the eA pcnse Of the Governmeni from tne
regular fund for the proDer work OF the hur,hu
Toward the end of last November; finding that tne
work was far outrunning his calculation OF time ana
necessary expenditure, and WAS also endangtr'ns
the running expenses Of the labor office IN wash
ineton, Mr. Wrisht recalled the thirtytw9 ,nrs
Congress for AN additional appropriation lor 'no
divorce business
C"ngr"s. msit pSsshy have lUs'l ibs r res
funds If bis office Il r this eccentrlc lnquisitol
bat in lew OF tie tact that the line Of his IN
v"si g,ton has been perfectly useless one ~ Is
doubtful whether it will do so. As he mas
planned the investigation II is considered oy ca
ports in statistics to be farce pure ara SIMPLE
It appears that he sent out into the field his agents
armed with a schedule which, among other lacCs
called for the locality and the year CT the oe-
cutcner dsso!Gtrn on alleged or f. rmal cause
of divorce; whether absolute or partial; the mum,
Der OF children, and the designation OF husband
and wife Of complainant. This schedule. II is
Of OIL the National Divorce Association.
The most casual examination OF the scheduie
may convince thoughtful persons that they hardy
serve any purpose more dlgnlhed than thst OF ldie
curiosity The locality Of wedding ceremony
is scarcely pertinent to the question OF tho wei.
children born of finally disrupted marriage
even if greatly important, Is, rs is we'll known
an ascertainable factor only forming an lncon-
siderable proportion Of divorce hbes. Finally
the attempts Of Mr. Wright 10 ascertain the causes
Of divorce is reduced to a minimum OF pertinence
by the notorious fact that divorce courts are
decisions Of annulment not on the most serious
or best sustained charges but under the most
available charges recItcd in the libel
One hundred and sixty thousand or thereaoouts
OF these worthless schedules are now filed up IN
the labor office in this city awaiting the slow
process Of tabulation or digestion at the Govern
ment expense, while the Commissioner himself is
applying to Congress for fresh appropriations 10
forward this useless work. The advocates Of
really thorough invest CATION of this important
question entertain the hope that Secretary Villas
Will see TO il that if any money IS appropriated
by Congress for this purpose il will be expended
under direction Of a man more fitted for the work
than Mr. Wright seems TO have proved himself
to be-