The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-28

Mrs. CHAUNCEY MONTGOMERY M'GOvERN.
Society For tho Perfection of tho Human
Species. That was May 81, 1885, Mr.
McGoycrn was the frs, president, and l
was the secretary. We decided to share
everything equally. We have oven united
our names into Montgomery McGovern.
We believe in being equal in all things
oh, don't mean woman's rights or tho
advanced or new woman, but that We
should be really equal.
But as to our society. We seek to raise
the standard of humanity by obtaining the
enactment of laws to uplift mankind phys
ically. mentally and socially through tSe
abolition of all existing absurd customs"
The platform of the society consists IF
eight plnnks:
First.-All hopelessly deformed, idiotic ard
constitutionally diseased children should 10
peacefully eectrocutcd within three months
n1tcr SAID disease or deformity has been "
three state physicians pronounced incurable
second.-All children should be educated
under the Immediate supervision Of the stan
from the time the child is years old to tie
time it reaches the fifteenth year.
Third.-The education of all children shouH
be, first. physical; second, mental; third
social, the children to be allowed to choos
any religion after their fifteenth year, but no
before, as up to that age their powers of judg
mcnt and discrimination are not sufficient,
developed.
Fourth.-All aged, mentally sound person
to be cared for ut the expense Of tho state.
Flfth.-Every person losing tho use Of three
senses permanently should be peacefully cleo
trocutcd by the stnte.
SiXth.-All incurably insane persons to b.
electrocutcd
Sevcnth.-sinn has no right to take the lif
of another physically sound human being
Murdcrers should re punished by incGrcera
ton for lifetime and Gnily foggcd,
Misunderstanding TO bc entered on ro:nmo,
SENSE Srounds-tl:t is, men and womc: shout,
marry their oppositcs. Love is but TIC result
| of certain circumstances and ia brought abou
| nrtiticially as well accidentally.
THE RULES.
| Every member OF the association must be
| ply sically perfect man woman of at lcas
| u years of agc.
None shall he admitted who has not attended
| college, or who has not been u student of tn
| classics.
| 1t shall be the duty of every member TO dis
courage as much as possible the wearing o
ridiculous clothing and unnecessary ornn
| ments, tho discouragements to he directe,
| principally against tight shoes, the lacing o
corsets, long dresses, the wearing Of truuser
| by man and woman, high collars and higl
mats, while every member pledges himself o
herself to do all in his her power to ,rinj
about gradually the use of the classic costume
| va <htHtiiS anu vi tOnc, Wltn Sucn mOCnf1Cn
| tions rs the state OF the weather may demand
| ''There is another law would Ike t.
SEQ enacted" said Mr.. Montgomery Nc
Govern, 'and that is to limit the nunbc
of children to two in oil families who's In
come is not moro than 81, 900 year, but
tho other members of tho society mr.. Cd
posed To this, and we will not urge it.
I'VE expect to present to the Legislature
OF New York state at it's next session pc
tition for the enactment OF laws in accord
nnce with our platform rs l have givm IL
to you. We anticipate the objection That
such laws would he unconstitutional
Then change tho constitution. Consitu
tions have been changed. We will hipo a
great many signatures to our petition.
Hitherto tho meetings of our society lave
boon held only ut tho homes OF mem rs,
but we have grown until our mombcphip
now numbers more than $50, of WHOM 80
live in New York state"