Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-20
MARRIAGE OF DEGENERATES.
DR.. r. M. Powell Advocates State Leg.
isIation for Them.

Members of the board of control and
superintendent of the various state
institutions have under consideration
at their quarterly conference in Des
Moines the question of unsanitary
marriages, the discussion having been
responsive to a paper on the subject
read by DR.. F. M. Powell, superintend-
ent of the institution for feeble mind
ed at Glenwood.
DR.. Powell has given the subject a
great deal of thought and makes a
number of suggestions bearing upon
the subject of ancestral faint, to what
degree it is to be bar to marriage
and who is to be the arbiter in the
premises. The speaker was in favor
OF legislation prohibiting unfit mar
lriages, but at the same time he recog-
MES the danger from prohibitive laws
is to invite immortality. He says that
if restrictions are so general as to in
terfere with the personal rights of
considerable per cent of the popula-
ton and is repubnant to the sentiment
OF still larger number, it is predicted
that avenues will be sought for illegit-
innate relation on the part of those af-
fected and marriage laws may become
in time a matter of disregard not only
to the defective but to a larger class
of the general population.
A number of suggestions as means
of prevention of unsanitary marriages
were made by the speaker among
which was sexualization which has
been in the past favored by some and
to limited extent has been practiced.
DR.. Powell says it is an interference
yxvifh oil o,,&, to
nant to most people and is not finding
universal favor among those CONVEX
SAINT with the ills sought to be over
come and will probably not be advo-
Gated successfully in the present gen
GRAFTON, although he believes there is a
growing sentiment in it's favor. An
other suggestion is that of state regu-
lation Of marriage of the unfit. AL
most all states have a general law on
their statute books by which the mar
riage of those of unsound mind can be
nullified on the ground that they were
incompetent to enter into legal con-
tract. DR.. Powell mentioned one case
that has come to his attention in the
state of Iowa but unfortunately not I'M
til the mischief had been done and
their entire progeny made inmates of
the Glenwood institution. The argu-
ments In favor of such restrictive leg.
islation are briefly summarized as fol
lows:
The welfare of society is paramount
to that of the individual
j THAT such legislation would lessen
the numbers of defective and delin.
quent classes and consequently tighten
the heavy burden of taxation.
That such legislation would be in
the interest of good morals, inasmuch
as it would gradually eliminate the un.
| fit and the vicious element from our
population"
DR.. Powell thinks the question is up,
not to the point, whether the state has
a right to interfere with personal lib
erty, but rather to determine to what
extent personal liberty is actually Diet.
rimental to society and is it practical
to legislate? This brings up the ques-
ton of heredity and the necessity of
being able to determine what taints
are actually transmissable and in what
degree.
In favoring restrictive laws DR.. Pow
ell also favors an institution where
| the degenerate are detained for care
or cure under state regulations where
their natural guardians would be in
authority secondary to state control in.
stead of absolute authority at present
This argument is made for the reason
that where the unfit are allowed their
liberty they will surely procreate leg
ally or illegally, SO that however strin.
gent law may be made, the result in
numbers will not be lessened simply
by such legislative act, while the NOR.
al tone of society in general is liable
to be lowered.
1 DR.. Powell hesitates in recommend
ing any legislation as long as it is moi
based on certain knowledge appoint
ing commission clothed with ample
powers and given proper time to thor
oughly investigate conditions as bas
is for intelligent legislative action II
the future.
INDlcT C. w. PRINCE AND SONS.