The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-22

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marriage between near blood relations IL
likely to produce offspring deformed or
diseased, physically aud mentally. Insane
and idiots shall not marry, because they
cannot make "A contract and because OF
| hereditary tendency to produce idiots and
insanity. IL makes II a crime TO marry in
| any OF these cases. In this. IL aims 90
| prevent degenerate offspring and protect
individuals and society against tho evils
that would attend such offspring.
bot, II the yil'st mortal that can live
one not In these classes secs proper 10
marry, tho law igsuos tho license for tho
asking, takes tho fee, makes the record,
and lcnvos the offspring aud society 10
shit for themselves Ia tie best way thoy
can. Tho confirmed incbriatc, tho weak
minded and semi.Idiotic, the confirmed
| criminal, the offspring ol tho hali.wtted
and insane, II lucid 40 tho time, the In
| curably diseased, the sCr0lulitic, the eyph-
| ilitic. the hereditary pauper, the doprayod
| and rccklers-ovcn pnupcrs while IA tho
| poorhouac and criminals while In the jail
Arc la every way encouraged, given
| license, and are projected by the law. No
! thought Ii taken Tor the unfortunate Off
spring, or for tho body polite or social,
and the irreparable evils that must fall
upon all. The church adds It's sanction
and ils ministers aid In making these civil
contracts by performing tho ceremony
with prayers and bencdicti0ns, Not in oil
| cases. but In too many. II IL IL wise 20
! prohibit pOlygamy, marriage between near
| relations between the insane and the idi-
otic because Of hcrodity and transmission
OF evils, IL is equally wise 90 prohibit IL In
all eases where like evils may follow, II
the law has tho power TO prohibit and
| punish violation Ia the one case, IL has
equal right In all others.
"Thoro IL M endless procession OF chill
dren iromnll these sources coming into tho
mass of the population 20 live lives OF
crime, immortality, want, suffering, mis-
| fortune and degeneration, transmitting the
| faint in constantly widening streams, gem
GRAFTON after generation, with the ultimate
| certainty OF the deterioration Of the race
and final irrcparable degoncracy. With
| the utmost care Tor prevention, there will
| be enough diseased and deformed from ac-
| cideut and violations OF law 10 tax tho en-
crVes Of the people In preserving morals
and Intellectual supremacy and progress.
| But with this constant tide, bearing the
scum OF reprobacy and vice, ebbing and
| flowing through the social sea and depos-
| Ting its baneful sediment AMI iroth every
where, on every shore. there can be but
| one final end. II il simply appalling 10
recognize IT, much more 10 reflect upon It,
The reason given for the absence OF
| legislative prohibition is. that it would DO
an infringement upon the liberty of the
| citizen the rights of the individual. and
| the prohbitOry legislation could not be
enforced. Let Us see how far this position
is tenab,e.
~ man wants 10 run steamer 10 carry
passengers and freight The law disre-
CARDS his individual rights. II says, You
| can't DO 1t. But II YOU will have your
boat examined by government officials
and she il admitted 10 registry, and YOU
are found qualified 20 navigate her, license
will be given 20 You. he lives and prop
ertv OF others must be protected. So il
one wants b. act as pilot, 20 bring vessels
| out and into the harlor. or run tug for
towing them, both must submit TO exam
ination and be found lit for the position.
The safety and welfare OF the public is
alone considered. 4 man wants 10 retail
liquors. The law says, You cannot do il
| only on specific conditions Why
all this? simply for protection OF individ-
uals and the public against possible in
jury. 4 man wants 10 practice law, or
medicine, or pharmacy, or act rs notary,
and he is barred unless he submits 10 eX-
animation and shows fitness for the
place and its duties. When that is done
license issues and not before. The in
stances can be multiplied indefinitely, and
in many cascs-like the notary-it in
wolves only dollars and cents. And this
TO prevent injuries to the individuals and
the public that are possible and not at all
certain. In most cases they are very re-
mote In no one case is there any
thought or fear OF infringing the rights of
the citizen
"Now, il TO prevent possible and not
certain evils the law can interfere and
does interfere, why may II not and should
itnOt interfere TO preyentcertain and irrep-
arabic evils and injury; not only TO indi-
viduals, but 10 the entirety of the bodies
corporal, social and political; not only for
the present. but for generations without
limit? Why should it not say to one who
proposes TO assume the marriage relation
and become the possible and probable
parent of offspring and the head OF fam
ily: You must be fit for the place and
able to assume and discharge the obliga-
tions and duties II will entail. You must
show that no injury will come TO individ-
uals or the public. You must swear in
your application that you do not come
within the prohibited classes, and show
that YOU are fit to be trusted with the
grave responsibility
"Is it any more an infringement on per-
sonal right than it is in case of selling
liquor? Are the evils resulting from mar
riage by one wholly unfit for the relations
greater and more far-reaching, or are they
less, than those possible in the incipient
stages OF whisky and beer2 Is it OF more
consequence 10 establish board of health
10 prevent the sale OF diseased meat, or
isolate a smallpox patient, or quarantine
one with scarlet fever or yellow fever or
cholera, than it is to prevent the produc-
ton or scroiulitic, syphilitic, criminal, idi-
Otto, and incurably deformcd and diseased
children, and pauper children by the mil
lion, generation after generation? Is it Ct
more importance 10 examine a glandered
horse or lnmpy-iawed OK and order them
killed, lest some other horses or oxen be-
come affected, and have an official COM
mission for the business, than it is that a
vile, diseased and debauched criminal, or
demented person should submit TO ex-
animation when they would assume a re-
| lation that may send down their vicious
faint for generations, and that there
| should be competent official commission
10 do the business? Is the law wise or
| justified that compels the former and ig-
nores the latter, on any claim or preteuse
whatever? Are the duties and relations
to the public OF a notary or pilot of more
importance than those of the parent of
1 IL Il 1-o,, ,.,I a.. I.nI - ID III