The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-07-31
DIVORCE FREAKS
Some Queer Cases Revealed by
the Census Bureau.
CHICAGO IS CENTRE.

CHICAGO IS CENTRE.
Strange Freaks of Domestic Infelicity
Brought to Light by the Divorce
Courts. The Windy City Holds
the Record of 1872 to Every 10o,-
900 Inhabitants Increasing in Ru-
raj Districts.
The divorce courts of Chicago and
other cities of the United States re-
veal strange motives of the martial
infelicity. It mas remained for the
United States census bureau to col.
lect the particulars of these frank
divorces and compile them into q
government report. For two years
120 agents Of the census bureau nave
searched the court records OF the
country for odd and unusual teatuie
es to divorce suits. The results OF
these two years labor are soon TO oe
presented in official form. with them
Will be presented the usual statistics
revealing the growth Of the divorce
evil IN the United States.
Chicago, as the repnted divorce
center" of the nation, will continue
10 hold her unenviable record, with
1872 divorces granted for every lOO,-
900 of population for the last twenty
years.
AS an indication of how many ap-
plications for divorce have been filed
and not granted, the second ten-year
period for Chicago will show 43,65e
applications as against 3l,785 de-
creeS.
COMPARISON WITH OTHER CITIES.
To appreciate the proportion o1
Chicago divorces from other cite:
may be compared. Boston promise:
So divorces in the lO0, 900 of popula
ton: Philadelphia So, and New YorE
so divorces. In these figures, how
ever, one may not read the story o:
the comparative marital unhapplnes
in these cities. The New York law
for one, is such as to show smaller
proportion of divorces to the amount
of domestic infeicity. 1t is only
where virtue is conceded simply be-
cause a man and his wife live togeth
er the cat and dog life that Others
refuse to tolerate, that these com
parative figures have show at sug
gesting community morality.
Although divorces are on the IN
crease in the cities, they show
greater ratio of increase IN the coun
try districts, almost without excep
ton. Why this situation Wlthou
exists mas been accounted for by tht
possibility that the life in country
districts-in closer relation with tn
life of the cities.--has caused thu
farmers wives to rebel more strong
ly and effectively against the hard
ships and monotony Of the farm.
In spite Of the increase of the mum
ber Of divorces, Judge Robert Tay
lor, of the federl court Of Ohio, re
Gently called attention to the fac
that never before in the history 0
the country had it been easier for
man to have plurality of wives wit
less risk to his liberty. Under tn
judges observations this might be
condition tending to lessen the ap
plication for divorce, only that IN tn
divorce records now being canvasset
it is shown that Of the applicants fol
legalized separation the proportioni
two women to one man. The nus
band by all odds is more conten
with marital union.
In the opinion Of Judge Taylor the
best routing" Of divorce tour al
the present time should begin ir
South Carolina, where divorces are
not recognized at all.
The new husband should remain
with his bride in that state long
enough to acquire citizenship. 60
ing to some get-a-divorce-easy state,
the husband would file suit for a di.
vorce on the ground of desertion
These papers would be sent to the
sheriff of some other county II
South Carolina than that in which
the bride resided. Naturally, they
would be served upon his wife, anc
returned unserved, the letter Of the
state law would be carried out, and
the divorce granted without the
wife's knowing anything about it.
LEGALLY DEAD AFTER FIVE YEARS.
Chicago is another likely place if
the divorced man seeks another ven
ture. When he tires Of this second
venture, the judge advises his going
to Arkansas, which has a system Of
automatic divorce accomplished by
desertion, In this state the absence
Of wife or husband for five years
makes the absentee member of the
family legally dead. In Arkansas
the man married in Chicago and
leaving his bride there may sue for
divorce on the ground of desertlon,
filing the summons to the defendant
in some obscure corner Of an obscure
weekly paper.
Thereafter this man on the mar
riage route may go from state to
state, acquiring matrimonial bonds
here and divesting himself Of them
there, finally after five years return
ing to Arkansas. There, if the first
wife be living, and without the pro-
cess Of divorce court he is privileged
to marry two sexes. Is man so much
more the part Of this first helpmeet.
Why the wife should be doubly dis
posed over her husband to seek di-
vorce is question open to settle