The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-03-17
Some Figures That Shows The
Growth Of the Evil in
THE UNITED STATES.
South Carolina Stands Alone as the
Only State In the Union that Does
Not Allow Dlvoces Among Her
People. and She ls Proud

Some startling figures have recently
been published In reference TO the
prevalence Of crime in this country.
One of the leading magazines printed
some statistical tables showing the
number Of murders and homicides In
the United States from year to wear.
They increased from 1895 In 1881 to
:10,662 in 1896. The nuu ber of this
class Of horrible crimes was nearly
nine times as large in 1896 as it was
fifteen years before There had been
steady increase ) ear by year. Since
then there bas been small decrease.
There were 8,978 hcmicides in 1908
seven times as many as twenty year.
ago.
With the increase In the number OF
murders there has been correspond
ing increase In the number OF suicides
in this country. In 1881, thtre were
only 606 suicide: In 1903 there were
s,597-more than fourteen times as
many. Every year, with only two OF
three exceptions, the number has been
greater than the year before.
There has beer q similar increase In
the number of divorces. Before the
OWL War the number of divorces was
very small. A divorce case was the
occasion for columns in the secular
papers. In some OF the States there
was no provision for divorce. In others
1t could be obtained only by applica.
tion to the Legislature. But lax laws
have been enacted, and this evil has
been fostered until now there are pro-
badly twenty or thirty thousand di.
vorces granted every year,. that many
families destroyed; that many homes
ruined, undor the forms Of law every
year, In this country.
During the thirty-two years from
1859 to 1901 less than three hundred
divorces we're granted In the Domin-
lon Of Canada. During the same
period, nearly seven hundred thousand
divorces we're granted in the United
States. The population of tho United
States is about fifteen times as great
as that Of Canada, but the number OF
divorces has been not fifteen times as
large, nor hundred times as large,
but more than two thousand times as
large In the United States as in Can
adal Two Thousand times as many
families have been destroyed by this
evil, two thousand times as many
children deprived Of the comforts and
blessings OF home, in cur country
as IN the sister nation on the North.
The evil has been rapidly increasing
for a generation, more rapidly in the
Northern than in the Southern States
but at rate that gives grave cause
for apprehension. There is not one
OF the Southern States, with the ex.
ception of Virginia and North and
South Carolina, but grants more di.
vorces every year than Lngland and
Wales united with their thirty three
million population; and In the North
ern States, Michigan furnishes six
times as many, Ohio eight times as
many, and Indiana ten times as many
divorces in any given period as Eng
land and Wales combined.
The increase In few of the States
has been as follows: The number of
divorces granted, increased in
New Hampshire from 1876 in 1857 to
435 In 1899.
Ohio from 901 in 1867 to 3,2l7 In
Indiana from Qas in 1867 to 4, 500
in 1900.
Pennsylvania from 575 in 1887 to
2,889 in 1886
Illinois flum ] ,O71 in 1857 10 2, COG
in 1885.
Alabama from 7S in 1867 to 662 iu
1885.
Arkansas from 121 In 1867 to 646 in
1885.
kentucky from 292 in 1867 to 757
in 1885.
Mississippi from 40 In 1867 to 5O4
In 1885.
North Carolina from 81 In 1867 to
1873 in 1886.
Tennessee from 2s7 in 1867 to SOL
in 1886.
T.1as from 81 in 1857 to 1926 in
1885.
Virginia from 30 in 1867 TO 23s in
1885.
In eight States reporting statistics,
the proportion If divorces TO marriage
in 1902 WIS as follows:
In Massachusetts / divorce to 16
marriages.
Michigan l divorce to II marri
ages.
Vermont / divorce to 10 marri.
ages
Ohio divorce to 8S marriages
New Hampshire l div, rec 10 8 3
arriagos.
Rhode Island divorce to marri-
eB.
Indiana divorce to 7.6 marriages.
Maine divorce to marriages
In these States there has been a
rapid increase In the num- Der OF di
vorces during the decade, and this
is probably true Of the country at
large.
South Carolina is the only State
that does not allow divorces. She
has no divorce law, and will net allow
them for any cause.
Such are some OF the facts In refer
ence to the condition of our country
"a fearful prevalence of murder,
suioi6es and divorces-and an in
crease from year to year in the num-
Der of each which, II not checked,
will be ruinous in It's effects. The
remedy will come when the conscien-
oes Of the people are aroused, and
public sentiment is created that will
make and enforce better laws than we
now have. There are about twenty
five different grounds upon which a
divorce is granted In one or another
ofothe States. In forty eight out of
L u n n 4