The record-union., 1894-05-19
coNIuaAL CONDITIONS.

For the first time in the history of the
United States we have by Bulletin SO of
the Census Bureau a reliable and COM
pact statement of the statistics Of the
conjugal condition of the people Of the
United States. In no previous census has
such body of statistics been gathered.
From the bulletin we learn that the
single people of the United States consti-
tute 1928 per cent. of the VIII ole popu-
lation, that is 81, l29, ,564 single, as against
1892, 2l2 total. This was up to June l,
1890, when the census closed. One-third
and little over of the people were mar
ried, namely, 22.S31. .424; widowed, 1870,
052; divorced, 120, 1896; unknown, 1924.
When we come to classification the fig
ures grow more interesting; thus Of the
single males, II. .289. 1865 are under l5 years;
3,230, ,835 between 15 and 10; 2.505. 400 from
20 to "a years; 1.24O.7g7 from 25 to 29, and
642,82 from 80 to "a. When the age of So
years is passed the single males fall off
rapidly until those single at 55 number
only Ill, IA. and at 65 but SO. l0O
The females single under 15 are put at
1o,95O,672; 10 to 19, at 29s7. 949; 20 to "A, l.
60l, ,266; 25 to %, 641, 1888; 80 to "a. 326, ,306;
80 to A, $50, 1S9; 45 to %, III. .464; 5S to "a.
S6,57S.
Divorces are found to be most frequent
in the case of each sex between the ages
of 30 and A years, and the number of
widows greatest at 65 years and over, and
the same is true of widowers.
Between 25 and % years over one-half
the males were married, and nearly three
fourths of the females. Between the ages
from 80 to 81 nearly three-fourths of the
males and four-fifths of the females were
married. Up to this point the proportion
of married females in each group was
considerably in excess of that of males.
Between the ages from 81 to A the pro-
portions were practically equal. the mar
ried comprising about four-fifths of the
total number for this age group. At this
age the proportion of females who were
married reached a maximum. Above
this age the proportion of married women
diminished. owing to the increased pro-
portion of widows. Between 10 and "a
years of age the married males comprised
ive-sixths of the whole number. In this
age group the proportion of les who
were married reached maximum, and
from this point diminished, owing to the
increasing proportion of widowers. For
this age group the proportion of married
females had declined to less than three
fourths of all females.
Between the ages from IS to "a the pro
portion of married males had diminished
to S2.34 per cent. and that of married fe-
males to 60.SS per cent. For the age group
representing persons IS years and up
ward seven-tenths of the males were
found to be married, while the proper
ton of females was only half as great,
or 1856 per cent. of all females Of the
ages stated.
In the North Atlantic division. which
constitutes the principal manufacturing
section of the country. a section made up
largely of urban population, the single
are found in smaller proportion than in
any other part of the country and the
married and widowed in larger proper
tion. Conversely, the South Atlantic
and South Central divisions, which are
almost purely agricultural and rural,
contain the largest proportion of single
persons and the smallest proportion OF
the married. These results are directly
opposed to popular belief. It is assumed
that the development of urban popula-
ton diminishes the number of the mar
ried. 1.-The explanation which naturally
suggests ITSELF" says the Commissioner,
sis that the larger proportion of mar
riages Ia the manufacturing sections of
the country is due not only to the fact
that the native white population married
young and in large proportion at all
ages, but also to the fact that the foreign
whites, who have settled in large num-
bers in the North Atlantic division, were
either married or OF marrisgeable age
at the time of their immigration"
San Francisco presented one curious
statistical phase, easily accountable per-