The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-13
The ytlessrngrr.
DECLlNE OF THE FAMILY AND
THE HOME

It has been ascertained that In Eng
land. and no doubt, We suppose, In
other countries, the family is declining.
It Is bad for any people when the home
disappears or becomes less a factor in
the development and elevating OF a
race. In the Journal of Ethics it Is
stated that results show a lessening in
England and Wales of marriages. Not
only are there fewer marriages, but, as
in New England, the families are
smaller than they were decades ago.
But worse still the families are less
coherent and less lasting. Divorces
increase as they have increased in the
northern states of our own country.
In England the marriage rate fell from
17.2 per cent. in 1851 to 1872 per cent.
in 1881. and from 1873 to 1888 the ages
of men and women who married rose
respectively from 25.6 and 24.2 to 26.3
and 24.7. The rise in number Of divorces
1860-1885, was universal. In 1871 Eng
land and Wales show 1 divorce to 1020.4
marriages; in 1879, 1 in 480.83. From
1867 to 1886 divorces in United States
increased 1877 per cent, while the pop
ulation increased so per cent.
The causes may be many. The *
travagance prevailing now among wo-
men as to dress, and the demands of
society generally, the multiplied ex-
penditures, the positive inability of
poor men living in the atmosphere of
fashion to provide for a wife-these
potent operate strongly against
the family and the marriage. The
English periodicals have stated within
a few years that living was lower now
than formerly because all kinds of sal
aries had deprecated some thirty-three
per cent. and that the professional men
suffered in the same way. This was
not peculiar to England. but the same
conditions existed on the continent of
Europe, and, if we recall correctly,
Germany and France were included.
The Journal of Ethics attempting to
explain the reason for the decay of
marriages, said that 1t wa owing main
1y to "the whole modern movement of
liberation-of subjects from sOvereigns,
slaves from masters, wives from hus-
bands, and children from parents"
There is some force in that no doubt.
The tendency has been very observable
for more than a third of a century of
resisting authority. The great Thack-
cray nearly a half century ago said
that in the United States he had heard
were Young Americas who declared
their declaration of independence
before they could read it. Pa
rental authority and reverence for
parents have declined evidently,
and along with it reverence for any
thing-for age or position or authority
or religion. The Journal of Ethics
finds other causes operating to depre-
ciate legal marriages. 1t says, and 1t
is surely worthy of consideration, that
another cause operating disadvantage
Ously sis the disappearance of the &C.
clesiastical view of marriage. A more
special cause has been the groth Of large
cities, which completely alter the en-
vironment of organism. Men become
less dependent on women for their
home needs, and women have resources
and interests which the simple life of
the country denies them. Then, too,
attachments formed on slight acquaint-
ance of underlying traits of character
are less likely to prove lasting"
1t gives a significant statistical fact.
In one Of the chief colleges for educat-
ing women in England Of 1,486 ex-
tstudents only 20S had married, be the
the causes what they may. The men
were afraid to venture probably, and
the latter day rivalry between the sexes
for places of all kinds and in all call
ings had acted adversely. 1t has low
men less dependent. So a large part
OF both sexes stand aloof. from mar
riage. 1t is stated that the decay men
toned is not to be found among the
working classes. They marry al form
erly and are given in marriage, but
generally with "less comfortable homes
because of the tendency for the women
to go out to work" That is in Eng
land. We repeat that whatever cause
operate to lessen marriages, to reduce
the number of homes, are most unfor-
tunate, and it is a positive curse to any
land when the conditions are so I'M