The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-12-02
ONE DIVORCE TO
IL MARRIAGES
DIVORCE is MORE FIRE.
OUENT IN THE FAR
WESTERN STATES.
Two thirds of the Total Number
of Divorces in this Country
Were Granted to Wife.

md divorce, recently issued by
he federal government, there
nave been compiled complete da-
ia upon this absorbing problem
# social life in the United States.
1t has been analysed, classified.
compared in a score OF different
methods. all OF which point to
he one dominating fact. namely,
hat in the United States divorces
IRE steadily increasing, not mere
" in number as the population
increases, but in proportion to
both marriage and population.
The period covered in the re-
port is the twenty years from
1887 to 1906. and the previous
twenty years between 1867 and
1886 is fully covered for the pur-
poses of comparisons.
Starting with marriages for
that is the necessary preliminary
to divorce, it is found that the
marriage rate fluctuates accord
ng To commercial prosperity. Fl
nancial panics always pull down
The rate OF increase. this being no.
ticeably apparent during the hard
times of 1894 and 1904, when in
each case the totals decreased be-
low that OF the previous year.
More Marriages in South.
The percentage OF marriages is
greater in the south than in the
north. The western states, during
Hthe last few years have made a
rapid jump upward in the mar
riage rate and are passing the
southern states. The percentage
OF marriages to every 10000 OF
population has been decreasing
somewhat in the North Atlantic
and North Central states, while
it is increasing rapidly elsewhere
in the union.
The highest marriage rate is In
The old Indian Territory part OF
Oklahoma, followed closely by
Arkansas and Texas. The lowest
rate is in California. Connecticut
md Delaware. New York is well
down TO the bottom OF the list,
lose with New Jersey, Rhode Is
and, Pennsylvania and Massa-
-husetts.
In the United States as whOle
here are ninety-three marriages
or every10,000 of total popula-
ion. and 357 marriages for every
5000 OF the population OF marri
geable age. of above fifteen years
I'D. The only countries that rival
his high rate are Western Aus
ralia. Hungary and Saxony,
which present about the same av-
,rage figures. The fewest marri-
ges occur in Ireland, with Swed-
IN next. Irelands rate is less
han one-half that of the United
States.
The number of divorces grant
I'd in this country in 1867. was o.
)37. Forty years later. in 1906,
he number was 1902. Taking
he census years of 1870 and 1900
basis for population. this was
percentage increase of from 80
to 73 per 100000 of population.
The rate OF increase was nearly
i1ree times. and the evil has been
rowing in even greater proper
ton during the last half dozen
years.
Rate Constantly Increases.
The movement, though occa-
sionally checked or retarded by
commercial crisis, periods of bus
mess depression or other causes,
las been almost without excep-
ton upward. The upward move
ment, although varying in inten-
sity in different sections, has been
general throughout the country.
Divorce is far more frequent
in the far western states than in
the east. Washington has a long
lead. with Montana a close second
Colorado is third. Delaware has
the fewest in proportion, with
New York and New Jersey next
lowest.
The divorce rate is higher in
the United States than in any
foreign country, except Japan.
Switzerland. which has the high
est rate in Europe, has less than
one-half our proportion. Accord
ing to the international figures
number OF divorces per 100000
Of population is as follows:
Japan, 21j; United States, 4" {;
Switzerland, 80; Saxony. 90;
France. 30: Roumania, 20; Prus
STA, Is; Italy, 3; England. 26.
Australia, 1.
One in Twelve Dissolved.
While definite data is not OBJ
tainable the government experts
figure that at the present rate IN
the United States not fewer than
one marriage in every sixteen will
be dissolved ultimately by di-
vorce, and it seems reasonable to
suppose they add, that the ratio
is nearer one in twelve.
Possibly many persons will feel.
says the report; that these figures
are not confirmed by their person
al observation of the relative fire.
quency of divorce. 1t should be
remembered that the comparison
relates only to marriages that
have been terminated either by
death or divorce Existing mar