Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-12-08
AMERICAS BIG DIVORCE RECORD
Census Bureau Shows Nearly /
Million III Twenty Years.


Divorce and marriage statistics for
twenty years, from 1887 to 1906 lncln-
sive, are embodied in compilation
completed by the United States cepsus
bureau
The total number of marriages re-
corded during the twenty years from
1887 to 1906 inclusive was L.. $50 O44.
The number annually reported increag
ed from 4S3069 in the year 1887 TO
Ss'5,29O in the year 1906. The marriage
rate in the United States in the year
1900 was 93 per 10000 population. The
total number of divorces reported for
the twenty years 1887 to 1906. inclus-
i've. was 945.625 For the earlier in
vestigation, covering the twenty years,
1867 to 1886, inclusive. the number re-
ported was 32S. or hardly more than
one-third of the number recorded in the
second twenty years. At the beginning
of the forty-year period, covered BY the
two Investigations, divorces occurred at
the rate of 10000 year; at the end
of that period the annual number was
about 6G.000 This increase however
must be considered in connection with
increase in population.
An Increase of 80 per cent in popula-
ton between the years 1870 to 1880 was
accompanied by an increase of 10 per
cent in the number of divorces granted
In the next decade. 1880 to 1890, the
population increased % per cent and
divorces 10 per cent, and in the follow
ing decade, 1890 to 1900, an increase of
p per cent in population was accom-
panied by an increase of &C per cent
iii the number of divorces In the six
years from 1900 to 1906, population, as
estimated. increased 10.5 per cent and
divorces 29.3 per cent
1t thus appears that at the end of the
forty year period divorces We're increas-
ing about three times as fast as popu-
lation. while in the first decade (1S70
to 1SS0) they increased only about two
and two-thifds as fast
The divorce rate per 100000 popula
tion 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 mar
ried people who can become diyoced, a
more significant divorce rate is that
which is based not upon total popula;
ton, but upon the total married popu-
lation. 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 COM
mon. compared with married popula-
ton, as it was forty years ago A
divorce rate of 200 per 100000 married
population is equivalent to two per
1000 married population. Assuming
that 1000 married people represent 500
married couples, it follows that in each
year four married couples out of every
600 secure divorce.
This does not mean that only four
marriages out of LOCO are terminated
by divorce The rate, it will be noted,
is an annual rate, continuously opera
tive. and comes far short of measuring
the probability of ultimate divorce. The
available data indicate, however, that
not less than one marriage in twelve is
ultimately terminated by divorce.
Divorce rates appear to be much
higher in the United States than in any
of the foreign countries for which sta
tistics relating to this subject have beer
obtained.
Two-thirds of the total number of di
vorces granted in the twenty-year pc
riod covered by this investigation We're
granted TO the wife.