Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-12-09

or at least such misery becomes inolerabe and
leads to the divorce court No figures are obtanable to
show how married couples hide their unhappiness
behind stole face and refuse avail themselves Of the
opportunity tor escape provided by the divorce laws A.
rate the bureaus special field agents have been
compiling statistics marriage and divorce for the
last two years. and result OF their labors-coverng
period OF twenty years from 1886 to 19O6- has been
found that out Of total of 12832044 marriages there
we're 945622 divorces.
fo, ever, the pessmists also find for argu-
in the fact that divorces have increased at an alarm
ing rate during the present gensraon. In the twenty
years from 1867 to 1886 the number of divorces was
3287l6. hardly than onehird Of the number
corded in the last twenty years. OF course some allow
must be made for the increase in population during
this period but at that the increase in divorces is su
cent sarte the student Of sociology who seeks strike
balance in avor OF the welfare and happiness OF the
human Forty years ago the divorce mills ground
10000 cases year, while today the annual aggregate
reaches 660O0 From 1870 to 1880 the population in
creased 3O cent but the increase in divorces 79
per In the decade the increase in population
rs per From 1890 to 1900 the population in
creased Fl per cent and the divorces 66 per cent while
in the six from 1900 1906 the increase in popu
ation lO5 per cent and Of divorces 293 per
However, considering these hgures the fact must be
taken into account that the increased population produces
much greater number OF marriages each year. that the
increase much faster than the population to
maintain the same relative percentage. AS matter OF
fact the actual number of divorce cases is increasing very
rapidly every year. The divorce ratio per 100000 Of
population grew from SO in 1870 81 in 1900 In other
words, in the former year there divorce every
344l and in the later year for every 1218-
The ratio Of divorces the total population but to the
married population is still more significant In 1870 the
rate per lO0OO0 married persons 81 while in 1900
ran to ZOO That is to divorce than twice
common in 1900 as it forty years ago. Divorce
increasing every year proportion marriages.,
and the rate OF increase has enormously within the
past eight years.
The United States shows higher percentage Of d.
vorces every than any country in the world In
Missouri the total number from 1887 to 1906 was 54776
and from 1867 1885 1925 the divorce rate per
100000 population l03 in 1900 and forty in 1880,
more than and one.half times as great The West is
the hobed OF divorce outside of Utah. The East shows
decrease divorce recent years in Connecti-
cut and about standstil in this in New England
generally Divorces almost unknown in the Southern
States The rate is very small tn. hou the South and
divorce confined very er- h to the negroes
Many socologists contend that l. livorce evil is the
greatest the future welft # the American re-
public They argue that the consis ! increasing prevail
OF divorces will ultimately des oy the sancty Of the
marriage relation and bring about condition OF lecazed
free love which will undermine family ife uproot the
homes and hnay corrupt society TO he CORE Some of
them 60 far to the plural marriage as
acced BY the Mormons is better han the present sys
tenn OF consecutive polygamy which is fast pervadne
American society. Poygamous marriages. they argue are
honest least and in conformity to the Mormon conscience
and religious faith while divorce and its twin evil conse-
cuive morrage torswearng Of the marriage vow and
defiance OF the church. Nevertheless the best and fair
est the divorce evil is to attack it at its foun-
tain head-the marriage altar Prevent hasy and i'll cor
sidered marriages and the natural results will cease Of
their accord.