The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-27
ONE DIVORCE IS
GRANTED TO EVERY
TWELVE MARRIAGES
Continued From Page One.)

Colorado third with 15S and Indiana
fourth with 142.
This is the second statistical investi-
cation of this character authorized by
the federal government, the earlier in
quiry being carried out through the
agency of the department of labor, I'M
der the direction of Carroll D. Wright,
who was then commissioner of labor
Mr. Wright has also been associated
with the present inquiry. acting as an
expert special agent of the census
bureau
Marriages Total 12,s32,o44.
The total number of marriages re-
corded during the twenty years from
1887 to 1906, inclusive, was 1882 .044. |
The number annually reported in
creased from 4S3,069 in the year 1887
to S53,290 in the year 1906 The in
crease year by year was by no means
uniform. The marriage rate is quick
ly responsive to changes in economic |
conditions A small increase shown
for 1898 and an actual decrease in the
succeeding year reflect the influence
of the panic of 1892 and normal con-
ditions do not appear to have been
restored in the matrimonial market
until the year 1899. 1t is computed
that If the average annual increase in
marriages during the five years end
ing with 1892 had continued for the
next six years, the aggregate number
of marriages contracted during the
period would have been greater than
it was by 259,S13. 1t is to be presum-
ed that a considerable number of per-
sons in this large total never contract
ed marriage This suggests a loss to
the community therefore, little consid-
cred in connection with periods of fl
nancial depression.
Marriage Rate in United States.
The marriage rate in the United
States in the year 1900 was 90 per TO-
600 population. Based upon the adult
unmarried (single, widowed or d.
vorced) population. the rate becomes
321 per 10000, indicating that in each
year something more than 3 per cent
of the unmarried adult population
weds. The marriagcNte, based on
the total population is highS{ the
United States than In any other coun-
try for which reliable statistics are
available But taking the marriage
able population as the basis-that is.
the population which is of marriage
able age but not married-the rate in
the United States is not as high as it
is in Hungary is about thesame as it
is in Saxony, but is still higher than in
any of the other countries included in
the comparison.
Nearly Million Marital Failures.
The total number or divorces report
ed for the twenty years, 1887 to 1906, !
inclusive, was 945,625. For the ear ,
lier investigation. covering the twenty
years, 1867 to 1886. inclusive, the num-
Der reported was 32S,716, or hardly
more than one-third of the number re-
corded in the second twenty years. At
the beginning of the forty year period
covered by the two Investigations di-
vorces occurred at the rate of 10000 a
year; at the end of that period the an
nual number was about $1,000. This
increase. however, must be considered
in connection with increase in popula-
ton.
An increase of 80 per cent in popula-
ton between the years 1870 to 1880
was accompanied by an increase of 70
per cent in the number Of divorces
granted. In the next decade, 1880 to |
1890, the population increased % per
cent and divorces 20 per cent. and in
the following decade, 1890 to 1900, an
increase of 81 per cent in population
was accompanied by an increase of &C
per cent in the number of divorces. In
the six years from 1900 to 1906, popu- |
lation, as estimated, increased 1O.5 per
cent and divorces 1913 per cent.
Divorces Rapidly Increasing.
1t thus appears that at the end of the
forty year period divorces were in
creasing about three times as fast as
population. while in the first decade,
QS7O to 1880, they increased only
about two and two-thirds as fast.
The divorce rate per 10000 popula- |
ton increased from twenty-nine in
1870 to eighty-two in 1905. In the
former year there was one divorce for |
every 3,441 persons, and In the latter |
year one for every 1,21S. Since it is
only married people who can become |
divorced, a more significant divorce /
rate. Is that which is based, not upon |
the total population, but upon the to-
tai married population. The rate per |
100000 married population was eighty |
one in the year 1870 and 200 in the |
year 1900. This comparison indicates |
that divorce is at present two and one
half times as common, compared with
married population, as it was forty
years ago. A divorce rate Of 200 per .
100000 married population Is eQuiva-
lent to two per 1000 married popula-
ton. Assuming that / 900 married |
people represent 500 married couples,
1T follows that in each year four mar
ried couples out of every 1000 secure !
a divorce.