Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-12-06

riageable age 837 have already secured
mates. The great demand for wives
up there may have something to dc
with the fact that the gentler sex in
that State rules in politics, as well as in
the home, voting even for Congressman.
In the Indian Territory, however, the
percentage of married women is nearly
as high, 835, in the thousand, and next
door, so to speak, in Oklahoma, it is
S3l. Idaho is the only other State in
the same class, its record being $50.
1t appears, then, that in Wyoming,
Idaho, Oklahoma, and the Indian Ter
ritory more than four women out of
every five obtain husbands. No other
State or Territory of the Union comes
up to this mark. Looking over the
official Government figures one finds
that in Washington State 100 women
out of every 1000 are married. In
Texas the number is 7S3, in Montana
769, in Nebraska III, in South Dakota
7SO, in North Dakota 75S, in Kansas
762, in Colorado 760, in Arizona 765, in
Oregon 748, and in Nevada 723.
Very striking, as the eye moves east
ward, is the way in which the percent
age of women who accomplish matri-
mony runs down. In the middle West
it is much less than in the far West,
and in the East, again, it is yet good
deal lower. Ohio is the only State in
the middle West which shows up to ad-
vantage, with 74s women married in
every 1000. Wisconsin comes next,
with 729, then Missouri with 724 followed
by Indiana with 7l3, Minnesota with 7I2.
Illinois with 71O, Iowa with 7OS. and
Michigan with 7O5.
As soon as the States along the eastern
seaboard are reached, the number of
women who succeed in getting husbands,
relatively to the entire number of female
persons, drops alarmingly. Of the
New England States Vermont seems to
be the most favorable locality as a place
of residence for spinsters, 700 out of
every 1000 women being married.
Maine comes next, with $50. and Con-
necticut and New Hampshire follow
with 625 and 618 respectively.
Pennsylvania has GIT women married
out of every 1000. New Jersey makes
about the same showing, with 676. Little
Delaware's record is 666- indicating
that in that State the average girl has
two chances out of three of becoming a
wife. The great State of New York.
alas, drops considerably below this mark.
to ga.
In the next bunch of States to the
south Kentucky shows up most credita-
bly,, with 718 women married out of
every thousand. West Virginia comes
next with 69S. Maryland drops to $40.
North Carolina has 669, Tennessee 649,
South Carolina 7O6, Mississippi 7Os.
Alabama 660, Louisiana e6S, Georgia
$50, and Florida 710.
In the above list California was pur-
posely omitted, in order. that special at
tention might be called to the fact that
it falls away below the other far
Western States in respect to the average
of marriages. Although in that State
there are just about $50, 900 more males
than females of twenty years and up
ward, which would seem to suggest a
demand for wives greater than the sup
ply, only 662 out of every 1000 women
are married. In this point the Golden
State falls down to level with the
effete East.
Looking over the figures already given,
it is manifest that women marry oftenest
in the States where theirsex is scarcest.
This, indeed, is what might naturally
be expected. 1t follows, then, that the
thing for a girl to do, if she wishes to
reduce her prospect of matrimony as
nearly as possible to a certainty, is to
go to Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Wash
ington, or, best of all to Wyoming,
where she is reasonably sure to secure
not only a mate, but vote also.
An important point to be noticed in
this connection is that the cities are not
as good markets for wives as the lesser
towns and rural districts. Evidently
men are not SO dependent upon matri-
monyin the great centers of population.
If such be in truth the case, the less
thickly settled regions have advantages
from the point of view of conjugal in
surance, and the average maiden dwell
ing in city, especially in the East,
should realize that her chance of catch
ing husband is perceptibly less than
that of her country cousin.
The moral effect of such insurance
must be considered. 1t is universally
recognized that men are attracted to a
girl by the fact that others admire her
and for the same reason takes for
granted that the "wali flower" is not
worth serious attention, just because
she is ''wall flower"
A life insurance policy at once gives
the holder health rating, because if
he were sickly his application would be
refused. So marriage insurance would
give girl similar standing, for the
company's opinion would be on record
that they considered her so attractive
that it was worth while taking chances
on her reaching old age unmarried.
To what extent it might be worth
while for the company to encourage
marriage is matter of speculation.
Without doubt the concern could and
would do,a great deal in the way of put
ting lonesome and eligible bachelors on
the track to the maidens who were
bepipninpr 20 WORRY