Daily camera. [volume] (Boulder, Colo.) 1891-1928, 1900-02-27
JoeWoLf ENDORSED.
His Msfrtaxs Code 10 Ratified by Many
Great Newspapers.

His Aafrta9s Code 10 Ratified by Many
Great Newspapsrs.
4 Boulder's distinguished citiz q, the
sage of Rattlesnake ranch, has struck
popular chord in his agitation for maj
riage Law. whose provisions have been
outlined in these columns. The Salt
Lake Tribune copies. with commend.
able head lines, the following from the
Atlanta Constitution, which errs. OF
course in saying Mr. VOLTS plan has
been presented to the legislature The
pamphlet is but two months old and the
legislature does not meet until next
winter, but Mr. Wolff says it will certain
-ly become a law. 1t will be recon.
mended by Governor Thomas. The Con-
s,i,ution says; H
"a bill, which contains the wisdom of
a race of Solomons, was introduced in
the Colorado Legislature. 1t is one
making physical examination before
marriage compulsory, and the insurance
Of marriage licenses conditional on a
good percentage made by both appli
cants.
The provisions of the Colorado bill
are very simple, An examining board.
to consist of physicians of different
schools is created in each county. and
before this board must 20 all applicants
for license. The people of Colorado.
more than those of any other state, have
had their attention called to the neces-
sity for such an arrangement by the fact
that the thousands of consumptives
who flock there annually for relief fire.
quen,ly contract marriages which even
tuate disastrously. 1t is said that Gov
ernor. Thomas looks favora5ly upon the
measure. and will probably sign it If it
reaches him.
This movement has much to recon-
mend it to the medical profession and
the laity generally. 1t has for long
time been the desire of the medical
guardians of the country to place prop.
er restrictions around marriage. their
claim being that if candidates were per
fectly healthy when marrying much Of
the disease now existing in the country
would become lessened and the Amer
leans be one Of the healthiest nations in
the world. The best medical authorities
do not hesitate to say that there are
very few chronic diseases which can not
be and are not frequently for that matter
transmitted TO posterity, In many in
stances the affection may skip genera
ton, but breaks out in the third one
with increased violence.
People are prone to be selfish, and We
have not yet arrived at the god like
self abnegation which sacrifices our own
personal happiness for the sake of the
effeca cur acaions may have on those yet
unborn. But here is where the law
should take hand, and where the old
familiar adage, summum bonum. should
play part. On the face Of it it appears
hard to condemn two persons who love
each other to separate exlstences. be
cause one or the other has some incur
able disease, but in the end it is true
humanity. Within short time under
such wise management similar sacrifices
would become unnecessary, or only so in
cases Of extreme folly or aggravated
persistence.
The only way to correct the many
evils caused by. this pernicious custom
sancsionins the marriage Of diseased
pe1sons is by striking a blow at the
very base # the trouble and that is what
the bill before the Colorado legislature
proposes to do. Should it become law
the effect of its enforcement would be
watched with intense eagerness by the
medical profession of the entire world"