The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-02-14

per Toe, 600 married population al
though above the average, is by no
means the highest in the several
states. II is hardly higher than in
North Dakota (26SJ, and not as high
as in Indiana 1851, which has the
highest divorce rate of any state
east of the Mississippi. Still higher
rates prevail in Texas (39D and in
Arkansas 1881. in general the rates
are highest in the western states, the
highest rate shown for any state
being that for the state of Washing
ton (51.3). Next comes the state of
Montana with a rate of 4S7, and then
Colorado, where the rate is 400.
Wife Obtained sos per cent.
Almost exactly two-thiTds, 66.6 per
cent, of the total number of divorces
granted in the period covered by this
investigation were granted to ire
wife. In other words, the divorces Oh
tanned by the wife are twice as nu-
merOus as those obtained by the hus-
band
Without any reference to the ques-
ton of which party is the more fire.
quently responsible for the marital
unhappiness that leads to divorce, it
may be said that the wife has legal
ground for divorce more frequently
than the husband; that is TO say, al
though the law may make no distinc-
ton between the parties to marriage
as regards the grounds on which
divorce may be granted, there are
certain wellknown and Imperative
~ common grounds that are more
readily applicable as against the hHs
band than as against the wife Notably
there is nOn-support or neglect &c
provide. which, for the husband seek
ing divorce is not ordinarily an avail
able ground. although the present in
vestigatiOn found cases in the state
of Utah in which the husband obtain
ed q divorce for neglect to provide
Again. cruelty, although not infFe
quently the ground for divorces
granted TO husbands is, at least so far
as it is physical cruelty, more often
existent as a cause for the wife's
seeking a divorce Five divorces for
cruelty are granted TO the wife for
every ] granted to the husband.
The proportion of divorces granted
to husband and wife, respectively, re
manned very constant throughout the
40 years from 1867 to 1906. as Is
shown by the preceding table Blu
the returns by states show wide va
riationS as between different sections
of the country. tSee Table u. page
40 In the North Atlantic division
the percentage Of divorces granted tic
wives in the period 1887 to 1906 Is
SIS: in the North Central division 4
Is ~; and I'm the Western. 72.3. But
in the South Atlantic division il is
only 53I. and in the South Central
So In many of the Southern 81 ates
more divorces are granted TO hus-
bands than to wives
The range Of variation for the
northern and western states extends
from a percentage of 80 for North
Dakota TO q percentage of 1S.2 for
Rhode Island For the southern
states exclusive of the District OF
COlumbia. the percentages range from
41-6 for Mississippi TO Ga for Ten
nessee. The percentage Is higher
than that for Tennessee in every
northern and western state except
Missouri $3.50. New York (65.A1. New
Jersey t6S-4l. South Dakota (609)
and North Dakota tJ9). The percent
age Is lower than that for North Da-
Texas (60.Sl. Indian Territory (61.4D-
Oklahoma $3.50, Maryland t63-4D
Delaware t64-9). Tennessee (66.4)
and District of Columbia (72S).
II is natural 10 inquire whether a
contrast between the north and Auth
such as that here noted, may not be
attributed to the influence OF the ne
gro population upon the figures OF the
south II was rot foUAd possible &c
distinguish and tabulats separately
the divorces granted TO negroes. but
it is reasonably certain that they for1a
a large proportion Of the total ntlxn-
Der of divorces granted in seutherts