Note 258-16 — Chapter III

See the tables in the Tübinger Zeitschrift, 1868, 624 ff. Thus, formerly, in Rhenish Bavaria, where there was complete liberty allowed in this matter, the poor rates compared with the population, were only 34.6 per cent. of the average in the rest of Bavaria; and the number of illegitimate births was not so unfavorable by one-half. (Rivet, in the Archiv der polit. Oekonomie, N. F., I, 39.) The Bavarian law of the 16th of April, 1868, which provides that the community or parish can object to a person's marriage only on account of unpaid parish taxes or poor rates (art. 36) largely increased the number of marriages and diminished the illegitimate births; in the first year to 22.2 per cent., in the second to 17, and in 1873 to 13.2 per cent. (Allg. luth Kirchenztg., 12 März, 1875.) According to official statement, this law did more to improve the condition of workmen in the towns than any other cause. Compare Thudichum, Ueber unzulässige Beschränkungen des Rechts der Verehelichung, 1868. Per contra, E. Schübler, Ueber Niederlassung und Verehelichung in den verschiedenen deutschen Staaten, 1855.