Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-06-13
VALUE OF THE CENSUS,
Interesting Statistics Regarding Mar
riage-Why Information is Wanted.

Interesting statistics Regarding Mar
riage-Why Information is Wanted.
The objects OF the federal census are
OF three kinds-to furnish basis for the
apportionment of representatives in the
lower house Of Congress: to ascertain the
growth OF the United States In numbers,
wealth, and industry; and to investigate
the social organizations and institution
which determine the growth of popula-
tion and wealth. The first is a consti-
tutional necessity, the second study Of
facts, and the third a study of causes.
Probably no social institution Is SO
Intimately connected with the growth of
population as that OF marriage. In inves-
tigating marital conditions, the law
requires about each person a statement
whether he or she is single, married,
widowed, or divorced; II married, how
many years the marriage has lasted; IL a
mother, how many children she has had,
and how many Of these children are now
living.
From the answers to the quest ions 1t is
possible to determine the birth rate, the
prevalence OF marriage, the proportion Of
women and children to the whole popu-
latioD, the duration and fruitfulness Of
marriage. So far as the power and i'm
portance OF nations are dependent upon
the size OF the population, to that extent
Is the accurate determination of these
questions matter Of public necessity.
In the United States there would seem
to be little danger OF q decline in the
population. But even when we are sure
that the population is growing, 1t is still
necessary to know how 1t is growing
The millions OF India are increasing, but
1t Is by a process OF many births and
many deaths. In good years millions
are born; in times of famine millions die,
the population increasing because few
more are born than die. 1t is growth,
but savage growth. There is a more ex
cellent kind OF progress-that resulting
from the combination OF moderate
birth rate and a small death rate.
The marital statistics collected by the
census are in many respects very inter.
esting. Thus, the extent and power OF
the anti-mar ital forces can be estimated
in way by ascertaing the proportion OF
people between fifty-five and sixty four
yeas of age who have never been married.
Census statistics show that the proper
ton OF unmarried females between these
ages is greatest in the East, in North
Carolina, Rhode Island and Massachu-
sets, for instance, while the proportion is
smallest in he West, South Dakota, Utah
and Oklahoma bringing up in the rear
in the oraer named. Men, on the con-
trary, are far more likely to remain single
in the West than i'll the East. The pro-
portion Of unmarried men between fifty
ern States, e. G., Arkansas, Ala bama, and
Georg a, and greatest in the block of
western States west of the Mississippi.
In Nevada IS , per cent. of the males be-
tween fifty fiyesnd sixty -four have never
been married. Idaho coming next with
81 per cent, Montana next " ith I95 per
cent, etc.
That marriage is still pree minently the
sphere of women seems to be indicated by
the fact hat more women marry than
men, and they narry at earlier ages.
Thus, only 81 per cent OF females fifteen
years OF age ana over are unmarried,
" hlle among males of the same ages the
proportion IL IL per cent. Taking girls
and boys between fifteen and twenty
years OF age, it is found that one out of
very ten girls is married, While among
the boys the proportion falls TO one in
two hundred. These were the proper
TORS in 1890. Whether these conditions
have changed since then is a question
that can only be answered by the census
Of 1900.