Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-19
AROUND THE CITY.
A Rather Quiet Day, Though 1t
was Sunday.
THE RAILWAY CLUB CONTEST.
Dr. Iioyd's Article on the Family-The
Tncater and Coming Attractions-Tar-
rant County Fair-Fort Worth as
a Cotton Market, Etc.
THE FAMILY.
II importance and Its Peril-Additional
Facts Concerning Divorces.

u importance and Its Peril-Additional
Facts Concerning Divorces.
T. is not our desire to dwell too long
upon lie unpleasant side of this question,
that Is, The study Of the extent TO which the
evil of divorce has gone. We had mucn
rather consider the measures OF relief that
can be proposed. It is necessary, however,
in order TO get the subject fully before US,
that we examine il in all its hiGeouS details.
There will be no cry for better state Of
things until we realize how bad is our pres
emit condition. We beg, then, the indulgence
Of the reader while we seek through this
one more paper to get clearly in our minds
the magnitude of this evil
To begin with we note this fact, that the
number of divorces granted does not by any
means indicate the extent of marital infe-
lofty among US. The true gauge of such
iufeicity cannot be found either in the
number of divorces granted or in the causes
alleged. Statistics cannot determine the
truth as to this: they simply show the num-
Der of cases in which the unhappiness was
so great that the parties interested pre-
ferred public exposure rather than to en-
dure longer. The state of affairs would be
bad enough If the 32S, 7l6 divorces granted
told the whole tale; but they 10 not, Tor IN
many instances there were applications for
divorces that were refused by the courts.
The commissioner could not get at all the
facts as to the number of applications that
were refused, as III many states no record
IS made of applications. He succeeded,
however, in getting returns on this point
from seventy counties scattered through
twelve states and from the statistics thus
gathered he was able to make close esti-
mate. We omit the table but give the re-
suit: In these seventy counties there were
44,S55 applications for udivorce OF which
number 30, 42l We're issued or 6i.S per cent
of the whole If this same general ratio
commissioner thinks it Will then the 32S,-
1l6 divorces granted must represent Il total
of As, 0S3 applications. Large as these fig
ureS are, they 10 not tell the whole story
Of marital unhappiness; they speak only for
that class who had rather suffer the pub
lefty of a divorce suit than to endure the
evils, real or imaginary, of their welded
life. IN the midst of this dark picture,
though, there is ray Of light. 1t is found
in the fact that our judges exercise some
discretion IN granting divorces, and refuse
a large number of those who apply. Per-
maps they have for the most part done the
best they could in view of the lax laws and
loose customs pertaining 70 marriage and
divorce.
Another fact brought out by the report,
while not unexpected, ought to be euum-
Grated here. 1t is that both in Europe and
America the city populations arc more given
TO divorce than those outside the cities.
OF illustrations, which it is not necessary
10 introduce here. Not only is tine increase
in divorce greater IN the cities than in tie
country, but the decrease in the ratio of
married couples TO each divorce is greater
also. This only serves as additional proof
that wickednesS and vice of every type
fiourishes more among city populations
than in rural sections.
One of the points Of inquiry by the conf
missioner was the duration OF married life
before the divorce was obtained. He gives
the result IN a carefully prepared table,
showing separately the cause for which the
divorce was granted and the number of
Years OF married life before it was applied
Tor. or the whole number there Were To-
622 who sought divorce after only one year
of married life; 2l,525 lived together but
two years; 21,210 could only bear their bur
GenS three years, and 2I.9O9 obtained re-
lease from the matrimonial yoke after wear
ing it for four years. The most surprising
thing is to find that 53Il couples, after iv-
ing together for twenty-oue years or more,
then sought divorce. OF those who sought
divorce after being married twenty-one
years or more their average of married life
was % % years. Of the whole number of
those who obtained divorces during the
twenty years for which investigation was
made, their average duration Of married
life was, for the husband, S291 years; for
the wife. 9.2I years, and for both together,
g.l7 years.
The commissioner tells US that lac sought
to obtain the average duration OF married
lie without regard 10 lis dissolution by
9ther means than death. He found it i'm
possible to do so, for the reason that in no
considerable country of the world is there
any entry made of the dissolution of mar
riare ny death. From nj! the facts that
gould be gathered. however. the indications
Ere that married life ranges between twenty
two and twenty-siX years. Essays: For the
purpose OF philosophical consideration il
may be assumed that the average duration
Of married life Is twenty-four years in
country where the conditions are as varied
rs in our own. If this bc the fact. then the
average duration Of married life of divorced
persons is equal 10 two-fifths of the average
duration in general or married life
4 deeply interesting feature of the report
is the revelation It makes concerning the
children in those families where divorce
WAS obtained. In l2a,@>3 cases there We're
statements IN the ibelS As 10 the number of
children involved. which number WAS 26..-
10. In 5g,524 cases there was positive ev-
idenoe thIt there were 10 children. and in
l4l. SO cases there was no statement As II
whether or not children existed IT is safe
10 assume that in ~ ieast half the eases in
which 30 statement WIS made. there were
children; 50 That fair estimate would
place the whole number of children in
VOWED al not less Khan tuUcc hundred ana
lity thousand.
Think of Il E0r one moment, 210,G00 chill
Grcn growi, ( M III homes blasted by the
shame of divorce., 3IO. zoe children denied
the presence and watch care Of one Of the
parents. and .ha- parent still alive.,. $50
OJO children growing up 10 make c1t!Z@nS OF
our country. but being reared III homes
whence happiness and love had fed. and
where confusion and disorder relgnedi..!
Who will rccite the story of their wrongs!
Who recount the tale OF their sui2ringS!