Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-04

granted from 1887 to 1905 reached the
alarming as well as surprising total Of
$40. The smallest number In any one
year during the period was In 1888.
when only 1852 divorces were recorded
In our State. The number varied from
$50 to 175 until 1894. when the num-
Der jumped to 23s, and since that year
the total has not been less than 2s7 in
demic seems to have ragged furiously;
Tor 1921 couples were legally separated
strangely enough the same number
Of divorces was granted in 1902, while
the number in 1906. the last year for
| which statistics are given.
| 1t should not be assumed, however,
that the divorce bug has confined its
ravages in Vermont to the period
| named Going back to 1857. we find
that during that year 1877 divorces were
granted in the Green Mountain state.
| while in 1871 the total reached al. The
| smallest number Of divorces granted
In Vermont In any one year from 1867
to 1886 was 81 in 1885. but that was
the only year in which the number
was lie 81 than 1es. the total for 1888,
| and most OF the time the annual num-
her ranged from 1s2 to 1es. the total
| for the whole period Of twenty years
being S,2ss
The average number of divorces
granted annually in Vermont during
the twenty years from 1887 to 1886 in
elusive was 1e1 and nine-tentns. where
as during the succeeding twenty years
from 1887 70 1905 inclusive the aver
age was 237. The increase In the aver
age during these two periods was no
less than AIS, per cent or almost ono
half the rate for the first period.
| The Increases In population in YER
mont from 1870 to 1880 was from $50,
651 to 332.sss. or only one-half OF one
percent. During the following decade
the gain in the whole state was only
1873 people, which was not worth re-
ducing to percentage From 1890 to
1900 the total gain in vermont's pop
ulation was 1910, or ss per cent
| II is evident from this showing that
the Increase in divorce in Vermont ha.
been about ten times a. rapid as our
increase in population. unless the pop
ulation OF Vermont has increased much
faster, than has been supposed
Other New England States have suf-
fered also and Massachusetts, TO a much
greater degree. For example, the av-
eraEe number Of divorces in the Bay
state from 1887 TO 1885 was only 40.
total for the period being s.sss. where.
rs the total for the twenty years ended
with 1905 was $3.50, an average OF 1.147
an Increase Of 140 per cent, a. compar-
ed with Vermont's increase between
the average Of the two periods of 47.5
per cent
Speaking broadly the report shows
'hat the divorce rate increases as one
goes westward in the United States.
II Is also stated that the implica ton
that social differences between Old and
new regions will lessen so as to cause
differences in divorce rates to disap-
pear Is not we'll founded Taking one
decade with another the rate of d.
vorce Increases more slowly in the
northeastern part Of the country than
formerly. while that Of the western
and newer sections increases more
rapidly.
1t Is interesting and Instructive to
consider the rate OF divorce per hun
dred thousand OF population. as an In
dication Of the increase in the differ
ent States. For example in 1900 the
State Of Washington led tho list with
/" divorces for every 100000 OF popu-
lation, Montana had 1867. Colorado 1873,
Arkansas 1873. ana oregon 1874.
We have been accustomed to regard
the Dakotas as the hotbcd OF divorce
but in the year named South Dakota
had IS per hundred thousand and North
Dakota 81 Illinois, with the Chicago
divorce court In its midst. had a rate
of only 100. while Utah's was not bad
having been 1o5.
Turning to New England we hnd
| that Nermont's rate per hundred thou
| sand OF population was 75 as compar-
ed with 30 for Connecticut. ~ for
Massachusetts, lo5 for Rhode Island
III for Maine and l12 for New Hamp
shire. Vermont and New Hamp,bire
have lost ground as compared with
| their neiyhbors. Maine has remained
necticut and Rhode Island have gained
| in relative rank
| The surprising feature OF the report
Is that some OF tho States which might
be expected to he high in the list OF
| divorces are conspicuously low. New
York's rate per hundred thousand OF
population in 1900 was % as wa. tina t
Of New Jersey. Pennsylvania IS. Viz
ginia's IS, Marylands -, Georgia's &c
and I.ousians A. while little Della
wares was only 10.
II Is also significant that divorces
have increased faster in the cities than