Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-11
ARB WIZ 10 M A NATION or
BATruEIORg

BATcuELoRsf
Marriage. whether viewed as a sacra'
ment or a civil contract. is Of vital i'm.
poftance to the well.being Of society and
to the pcrpetuity Of the race. To the
mind OF the merely casual observer II
must BE- evident that early marriages are
less common than they were twenty We
years ago, and that there is a manifest
dlslnclinatiou on the part Of marriage.
able men 70 assume the cares aud re-
probabilities Incident 20 the marriage re-
latioN Even young women are finding
other outlets for their energies. and as
they grow IN selfindcpcndeuco they
grow away from the purpose 10 become
wives aud mothers.
The impression chat marriages are de-
creasing and nj the same time divorces
are increasing is substanunted by some
interesting data furnished by Prof w
y. Wilcox, an eminent political econo-
mist, who has published an article on
marriage and divorce Ills inyestlga.
lions extend from 1896 TO 1886, aud d
careful sitting ont Of averages shows
that marriages IN the United States have
Decreased and that the galn in divorce
has been correspondingly rapid. OF the
countries where these statistics have been
taken this country is second
only 30 Japan Ia % per cent
~ divorces. there being there 20
10000 inhabitants COS IS divorces,
against SSTl in this country In this
statement some regard must be given
10 difference m divorce laws in DIFF
fcreut countries. for Il mHy be that IL
Is as much due TO the ease with which
divorce r. obtained 10 the United States
nt 10 any want Of like fidelity 10 the mar.
Rage covenant which makes 800 marked
a difference.
One Of the most significant facts
brought out by Prof Wilcox IL that
there has been surprising advance 30
the marrying age VI men, this being just
one year since 1871. In communities
whore there - no especial pressure 20
marriage. man now seldom mnrrics
under twcnty-seycn, and for this re-
mnrhablc difference there must be- some
adequate cause. In farming communi-
ties whore wife IL needed la business
there has been little falling of IN mar
riuge but IN towns and large CONNER
ciul ccntcrs, whore club rooms aud lux
urious bachelor apartments can be had
and mans sole care Is 90 make money
enough 10 meet his personal expenses,
the majority Of young men prefer their
ease a. an cntoilment of responsibility,
aud IL may be- curtnilmout OF privil.
cgc which they associate with married
lie A curious fact Is that fluctuations
On trade effect the matrimonial market.
The price Of potatoes and Of pork has
mora 60 do with the marriage question
than the cost Of flowers or fayors. Wild
overs alone pay little heed To CONNER
cinl depression; they marry ngnin with
ont regard TO market quotations.
Owing doubtless, in large measure
to the cheapness and facility with which
divorces may be- obtained In this coun-
try. divorce IS most frequent la the mid
| die classes, and according TO Prof VIII
COX. Il has reached lower stratum than
/ any whore in Europe. As between tho
| Northern and Southern states Ia 1886
| there were twenty-iour more divorces
| IN the North nian In tho South. aud Ia
the Western states there Were si1ty.four
moro than in the Eastern. This, Prof.
Wilcox believes, Is largely owing 70 the
| influence Of constant migration. He
snys:
GAN over the civilized world we ma tive
i great currents of migration Ia progress
| one from the rural districts to the cities
and the other from long settled dictncts
/ 10 newly opvncd territory. Now IL II gen
| ergl fact that the divorce ratio IN higher
/ where either one OF these curIe nts stops
| thAn nt its source.
Each OF these two streams OF migration
| ucoins to Involve process of natural 80
| lection whereby the most energetic and SELF
! reliant, aud also the most discontinued
! dissatisfied ana even criminal Clnsgps, nri
| HlftVd uut and drawn on 90 the new homes
| Among those the proportion uf person.
| desiring divorce woCld be much greater that
| among those remaining behind Tho prov
nleuce Of divorce ga our Tar Western states
| wuuu thus be comparable TO the freQupu
| cuacs ~ lynch law Ia thnt region. hoth be
| lug natural though lanentnhle expressions
| 81 the large prunOrtlonl OF laNlvss plcinvntl
IN those Htnte8,'