The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1895-11-09
THE COURIER.

quired the medium-sized man.
Il wouldn't have them rush in at all.
The scheme ! have in mind would not
allow any rushing. You wouldn't like
1t, for have noticed that you are fond
of rushing in a desultory way"
The tallish man asked him if he could
improve on natural selection.
That's just it. Ii wouldn't be natural
selection at all. which, as it has been
proved to be. is most unnatural Sc
lection. What would have is a scheme
of scientific selection. | would begin
right away and have made a complete
personal record Of every man. woman
and child. This record would contain
a full and detailed account of the family
history of each person, going back sew
eral hundred years. IL possible Ii would
give all the traits, characteristics, lido
syncracieS, habits hobbies etc, of all
the ancestors. and particularly of the
living person. 1t would give the ages,
occupations, station in life. state @.
health, etc, of all members of the fam
lily
Something like an application for
life insurance" facetiously observed the
tallish man.
1T would contain all possible informa-
ton rejecting on the physical and moral
life, and this record would be an infalli-
BILE encyclopedia of character and hered-
ity. There would be special bureau
of government for the purpose of col
Letting this information and maintain
ing the system. Suppose young
man desires to get married. Two
ways are open to him. He can cast
about for some young woman whom he
thinks would make him a good wife.
Finding such an one he hands in her
name. with his own. to one of the secre-
taries of the bureau. Experts in psy-
chology and the kindred sciences look
up the pedigrees of the two people and
even make a cOnfirmatOry personal ex-
animation of the two persons imme-
diately concerned. and if it is found that
the characteristics on both sides prop
erly fit together, if there is no hered-
itary or other bar. then an official Ii
cense to marry is made out. If the eX-
perts find that a marriage between
these two persons would be inadvisa-
BILE from a scientific standpoint, then
the license would be withheld, and the
young man would have to try again.
Ofcourse. in the case of any considera-
BILE hereditary disqualification mar
rage would not be possible under any
circumstances. But suppOsing the
Young man had no choice himself and
left the matter entirely to the bureau,
which. | think, would be the better way,
then he would simply hand in his own
name and the experts would imme-
diately set about to find him wife who
would meet all of the psychological re-
uuirements. There couldn't possibly be
any mistakes because everything would
he done in a scientific manner"
But how about the young woman in
the case you cite" interpOsed the tall
ish man. Would she have any say in
the matter? If the young man wanted
her and the records happened TO be all
right on both sides. would she have to
consent to a marriage.
.CertainIv." responded the short man.
Elise the purpose of the scheme would
he, defeated If she declined and mad an
opportunity to make choice herselt
she would probably throw herself away
on some fellow with only half lung.
or IL candidate with crazy grandparents
Besides. if all the characteristics mt
ted together. she couldn't logically
make any objections
81 don't think that would prevent her
from making objections said the tai
lislI man.
..Tben il would be as fair for one as
the other" continued the snort man.
she could hand in her name any time
and ask for a proper husband. And
the man selected by the bureau would
have to consent as in the other case.
Now lust stop to consider the strong
points of an arrangement like this.
There would be no instances OF incom-
patibility of temper. no married couple
like Amelia Rives Chanler and her MIS-
hand una BILE toaccommodate themselves
- mis- alliances. no