Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06

Academy
Music and great deal Of inquiry has already
developed concerning 1t.
Is Marriage a Failure in Wyoming:
To the Editor of rhe Evening Star:
In last nights issue appears the Statement
that in Wyoming there is one divorce to every
six marriages. greater proportion than found
in any other state, and the question is asked:
why is this thus?'
In the first place this is not thus. Your para-
grapher certainly had not read the report by
Carroll ID. Wright on marriage and divorce,
which gives the only reliable statistics ac-
cessible on the subject In that report it APP
pears that while III the whole United States
the ratio of divorce has increased i'll tine
decade from 1870 to 1880 at a ratio of
three times that of the increase of population,
and that Will in the group of western
states. emitting Wyoming, it increased nearly
Tour times the average increase of
population, IN Wyoming the increase in divorce
was less than half that of the population, max
ing the ratio of divorces III Wyoming that of
one sixth the ratio in the whole United States
ana In round numbers one eighth the average
IN other western states.
opponents of woman suffrage love to prog
nosticatc the determination OF the home and
the marriage relation the result of women
Deing allowed to enter the political arena.
but these facts with regard to Wyoming
show that woman suffrage is to be a potent
factor III saving the home and the domes-
TIC relations. Prejudice being laid aside this
result might naturally be expected. because
1t Is reasonable that when the marriage re-
iauon is that between equals the present fric-
ton and unrest will be done away Allaiong in the
progress OF the ages from the period when.
under the old patrlarchal SYSTEM the wife was
no more than the child in her husbands home
until the time when perfect equality of the
sexes shall be established, there will be friction
n sf AT oh Tina, II
said, 1T is hard for man to tolerate the idea
OF living with an equal, and in much as this
Is true tue wider education and larger oppor-
tunlties for women have been fruitful cause of
unhapplness In the marriage relation, but the
logical outcome OF the present tendencies for
women is full equality, and this once accepted
the marriage partnership will adjust itself
satisfactorily hat the conditions are so much
more favorable in Wyoming substantiates this
philosophy.
In addition let me say that the average dura-
ton Of marriage before divorce IN Wyoming,
when persons have been married at twenty-ouc
years or over, is considerably longer in Wyom-
ing than III the average OF the western group
and IN the average of the whole United States,
showing that the married condition of even the
unhapply mated is more bearable in W.
omlng than elsewhere. The per cent of
divorce granted to wives in the United
states is very much larger than to
husbands, while in Wyoming the difference is
~. g. .,'Ai w. "rI."se. ao ~ must
De ioi sHu saiet! vi uonleSuc reiatiohS
&c. tue s.uuu oe % oe"i"oie 70 one sex
- 80 .ni' YAM 40 Po.nt Al l"'or
" "oni"i sun "hS We ai'o u''u 'ua' vi the
~" f eeAH6 uNoice "a wyoming
l.uIh siii'.iier per cen. 'hau Is iouha III oIher
Nes'eih S.a.es are Vi persons VINO nave mar
i "..uo, 'Neso ., iesal ana politi-
cai equa!its. ptatisucs sho" that the chances
your stay,nr married If Won NARY in Wy".
ming
There is very much in the legislation and in
tne constitution OF wyoming which shows
h,, 1a,n on, .iie Vi women Vot
fact. that white in the iasi de,n,ie the nnnHar
of criminals mas increased in the whole United
States nearly twice as fast as the population,
M wyoming 'le humber Oh criminals mas not
IoT a 49, CO.. '''e "''ie"'e VI
From, the psrsonal testimony and ,bo rooora
of statistics it is evident tina: the TWENTY-FIVE
years of woman suffrage have been satisfactory
70 the citizens OF WyoinlnS that they have con-
80 y, IN 40 W., We eGe'.o,'s aha 20 'he
i improved and thai tenchers are n,iJ w;thnnt
regard to sex; that Wyoming stands alone in
showing decreased propo! tioh OF crime and