Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-07-05
DECLINE OF MARRIAGE
Old Bachelors ana Old Maids Are
Increasing In Numbers
The Phepomsnon Ia Apparent An oveD
the world-Some Interesting Views
Accounting for This Strange
Development.

the world-soms Interesting Views
Accounting for ThIs Strange
Development.
Statistics accumulate showing the
decrease In the marriage rate all over
the world. Our own vital statistics
are so imperfectly kept-there being
only six states which make preten-
sion of collecting them regularly-that
we are unable to say at what rate the
celebrating of matrimony Is decreas-
ing; that 1t is decreasing the scanty
figures which we have only show too
plainly. In all the European countries
the birth rate, which is simply the
marriage rate in another form, appears
to be falling of year by year. In the
last fifteen years It has declined from
e5 per 1000 to ais in France, in Eng
land from BAT to 500, in Germany from
$40 to sos, in Belgium from 81. to 500.
1t will be remembered, says the San
Francisco Call, that these fifteen years
were years of peace and general pros
perity, the supply of available candi-
dates for matrimony was not reduced
by the ravages of war, nor was the dis
position of men to assume the response
bility of a family chilled by poverty.
The phenomenon before us must be
due to other causes
That 1t Is worth while to search for
these causes is evident from n study of
the consequences which will supervene
If the present unpopularity of marriage
continues French and English wStt-
ers on the subject say that marriages
have been discouraged by the heavy
fees imposed by government on the
celebration of matrimonial unions.
Some years ago the attention of the
British government was drawn to the
low marriage rate prevalent In parts
of Wales A commission was appoint
ed to investigate 1t reported that the
| peasantry were unable to pay the fees
which the clergy exacted before they
would solemnize marriages, and a
change in the law ensued. In Franco
| the chamber has for some years had a
similar reform under consideration,
though in this case 1t is the state and
not the church whose exactions make
marriage luxury. In this country the
cost of n license and fee to the mag
istrate or priest amount to so small a
sum that marriage is within the scope
of the poorest. No man need deny
himself a wife by reason of the ex-
pense of getting her. And yet, here,
| as in Europe, marriages are decreas-
ing. If anyone will count the number
| of available bachelors he knows, and
| compare it with the number of those
| who marry in a twelve-month, he will
be surprised to find how few young
men avail themselves of their oppor-
| tunities to become fathers of families.
The evolution of celibacy is less
marked on this coast than in the east
because there is here-taling the coast
altogether slight predominance OF
males over females. But even here
the proportion of girls who are admira
bly, fitted to be wives and mothers Is
unduly large in proportion to those
who enter the conjugal state. The
cause is probably two-fold: First, oul
| girls concentrate an undue share OF
tAeir energy on the cultivation of fac
ulties which, however valuable, do moi
increase their fitness to be wives anC
mothers; and secondly, the march OF
| modern improvement makes bachelor
life so delightful that young men art
reluctant to exchange 1t for matrimony
A tax on bachelorhood would probably
be unconstitutional, and it would mo-
be feasible to close clubs and other re
sorts of celibates by statute.
The practical lesson which statistic.
teach Is that young women should no
look forward to matrimony as the ex
elusive road to happiness, but that
they should boldly look the situation
in the face, and should prepare TO en-
gage in the battle of life on the samt
footing as their brothers, with the pur
pose of remaining single unless the
ideal of their aspirations should hap
pen to make them an offer. Girl.
should be educated to regard marriage
Us boys do-a good thing II it comes il
the right way, with the right man bear
ing orange blossoms In his hand; but
not the one end and aim of existence, 6
cry and desiecation. With the devel
pursuits In which girls can competa
with men Is constantly widening. Il
is probably as easy ut the present time
In this city for q girl to get remunera
tive employment as for boy. AND
while the scale of pay of shop girls L
too low-which will probably continu,
to be the case 30 long as they persis
In calling themselves ''salesladies"-
women in some other callings are pref
ty fairly paid A trained nurse com
mands ninety dollars q month and hel
board, and the doctors say that Their,
are not half enough of them. II ever,
girl could be sure Of earning even aft,
dollars . month abe could snap her I'm
gers at the decline In the marriag,
rate.