The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-14
nen te fight til. disease ard overcome
It and preserve, the health and prolong
the lives of tie people. n
a Notifying Exhibit.

57tJ "a WILL eAAJA!S IhihDAN'
The Churehntan Of April 9th devotes its
first page to dlscnsson OF tho subject
OF divorce. 1t presents an array Of fig
tres that is enough to startle clvillzn-
ton. certainly to bring to reflection, al
persons who believe In TVS sancity Of tho
marriage tie and the holiness of the mar
ruEc citation.
THO Churchtnnn quotes freely from fig
tires brought together by Father Otter, III
tllo April number of the Messenger, q
well known Roman Catholic publication,
and quotes also from statistics prepared
Ly Hon. Carroll D. Wright, commissioner
OF labor Mr.. Wright's official report
covers the period between 1867 and 1851.
During that timo tho yearly average OF
divorces granted was 1896 and there was
Il gradual rise In the number from 9,9S'
In 1867 to 1886 II, 1856, being All increase
of Isl per cent; while tho population Ill
tho meantime had increased 60 per cent.
In other words, divorces grew 1-2 per
cent. times as fast as population.
Unfortunately therc arc no national
statistics since 1887; but according to
Father Often tho census Of 1890 record
ed 12OGo6 persons as divorced, and IN 1900
the same schedule showed l0S,o14 divorced
persons. These figures do not give tho
exact number OF divorces; but taking
then, to be fairly accurate. they indi-
cato an increase of 65 per cent. during
the last decade from 1890 to 1900 III the
number Of divorced persons. whereas
tho reputation increased In same time 20
pcr cent. This would Indicate that divorces
were increasing IN that decade more
rapidly thai, in tho period covered by
Commissioner Wrlghts report, and tho
Inference Is supported by other stalls
tics. Father Often also considers sue
cessively those of States, Of great cities
and OF typical counties. The States chosen
arc Massachusetts, where the law is rea-
s,onably strict; Ohio. whers Is lax;
,Rnooc leland and Michigan, where 1t is
more lax. In Massachusetts In 1856 there
was ono divorce to every 81 maria gcs;
in 1901, there was ono divorce to every
20 marriages. In Ohio, there had been
In tic former year one to every Is; IN
tho latter there was one to less than H.
In Michigan, there had been one divorce
to every Is marriages in 1856; III 1901,
there was one to every O.. In Rhode Is
land, there had been q divorce to every
II marriages In 1886; in 1901 there was q
divorce to every s marriages. .Y
In these four States there was an 9lv-
erago increase Of % per cent: in R3ne ratio
OF divorces to marriages.
Other figures are given, but they sim
ply emphasize the<evl. The Churchmr !a1
points out in copreluding this phase OF the
subject in this respect we are tho
worst nation in Christendom and that
to fjrid a social menace parallel to THIS
We must turn to Japan, where II IS SAD
there are 10000 divorces a year. Among
Christian nations our bad eminence Is
uuchallenged and unapproaGhed. In 1900
France granted 21.939 divorces; While In
Germany the number WAS less than TO-
co., I In England there were granted IN
the year 1901 only III absolute divorces;
while in Canada there were but II IN
1860, ana 10 in 1901 ITO match our 81 900 IN
1901. s.S.s g
This is one evil that can be remedied
BY law. The law cannot make men and
women faithful to their, marriage vows,
but 1t can prevent them from dissolving
the marriage tie. The number of divorces
E this age Is due to the laNty In many
States Of he divorce laws. Indeed, be
ii said to their disgrace. some States alb
solutely encourage divorce and one State
has made its divorce laws easy in order
to attract residents. III Virginia. the law is
very strict. and i'll South Carolina divorces
are not granted upon any plea whatso-
over. But 1t matters not how rigid the
laws may DO In some States, SO long as
they are lax in other States. It Is easy
for persons wishing TO be divorced to
take up their residence where divorces
are easily obtained. There ought by all
means to be uniform divorce law ap-
plying to all States alike, and 1t ought
to be as rigid as possible. Tho South
Carolina law may la too strict, but Ger
taiLly not the Virginia, and ii tho Wiz
ginia law should be made uniform
the States OF the Union. there
would be great check to this terrible
abuse which threatens the very existence
or our society
4 1T is a subject that demands the sori-
Gus consideration Of both church and
State.