Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-12-11
Growth q the Divorce Evil.

Statistics collected by the Census Bu-
reau show at a glance the extent of the
divorce evil in the United States.
During the twenty years from 1887
to 1906 which are covered by the inyes-
tipation the number of divorces reported
was 944. 625-in round numbers, a mil
lion. During the preceding twenty years,
beginning with 1867, the number had
been 326,11S. OF course the growth Of
population must be taken into account
in calculating the significance of this
comparison. Allowing for that it APP
pears that a steady increase in the vol
ume of divorces has been in progress
during the whole forty years-and that
during the first double decade they in
creased three times as fast as the popu-
lation, while in the last they increased.
two and two-thirds times rs fast. The di-
vorce rate was % per 100000 of popula-
ton in 1870, and 81 per 100000 in 1905.
Stating the proportion in another way,
there was an average of one divorce for
every BAL persons in the country in
1870, and in 1905 an average of one di
vorce for every 1918 These figures
show the proportion of divorces to tt"
total population. The average of di-
vorces per 100000 of married persons III
the United States in 1870 was 81. and
in 1900 200. In each year an average o.
four married couples out of every thou
sand became divorced. Divorce ends
sooner or later, on the average, one out
of every twelve marriages solemnized in
the United States.
This last generalization Of the stats
ticians is perhaps the one which can he
most readily grasped by the mind. and
which is most likely to impress upon the
public the magnitude of the divorce evil
In Wisconsin the divorce rate was II per
100000 of the population in 1880 and So
in 1900. Think of the shattered homes
which these figures represent. Think of
the children whose happiness and moral
training are injuriously influenced. No
wonder that the divorce evil is discussed
apprehensively as one of the gravest
scandals of the age. The belief of many
students of the problem is that divorce
is too easy under existing laws. The
people of South Dakota at the recent
election voted for stricter divorce laws
in that state. Other states are likely to
consider amendments of their divorce
laws during the approaching winter. a
wholesome provision is t. prohibit the
early remarriage of divorced people to
other persons than their former conjugat
partners. An experiment worth while
might be to withhold divOrces-eXcept
those granted on the ground of adultery
until the lapse of a year from the con-
clusion of the trial. Many divorces are
the result of frivolous quarrels which
might be made up if divorces were not
so easy and 50 fashionable.
One thing is clear-tne more divorce in
creases, the more it will increase, unless
it is made more difficult. The conditions
of modern life-particularly the rise of the
fiat, and the increasing economic indie
pendence of woman-are factors in the
phenomenon. The lessened hold of re-
ligious faith upon large element of the
population is also contributory to the IN
crease of divorce. History shows that
the integrity of the home is the corner
stone of the highest civilization, and that
the growth of divorce has been one of
the concomitants of every period of so.
cial and moral decay. The future OF
the American people may depend more
upon the wise handling of the divorce
evil than upon any other problem
now engaging the attention of makers
oe laws.