Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-02-14
NO VlRTURE VS.. GREAT VIRTURE-

THE efforts of Senator Stout may
be condemned by fippant writer's who
have given no thought to the matter,
but his efforts will be approved by
every thoughtful student of sociology.
VERITAS.'
Thus ended an article in last weeks
REPORTER in criticism of a former
article which appeared in this paper
condemning the proposed marriage
law of Senator Stout, recently intro
duced in the senate at Madison. We
pass by the charge of t1ippancy as a
bit of irrelevance, but that the
Senator's bill would be approved by
every thoughtful student of sociology,
we deny and in support of that denial
we cite DR.. Harry Campbell, of the
Northwest London hospital. DR..
Campbell is strongly opposed to the
marriage of persons who are physically
or mentally unfit 'to produce chill
dren who shall reach a certain level
of mental and bodily excellence" and
he indicates some Of the diseases
which unfit persons for wedlock, as
follows: Pulmonary consumption,
organic heart disease, epilepsy,
insanity, diabetes, chronic Bright'S
disease and rheumatic fever. He does
not make the radical proposition,
which many have done before, that
persons untitled to marry according to
his estimation should be prevented by
law from doing so, but he hopes to
find that in tire people will, of their
own free will refrain from marriage
when it is manifest that their union
would not result in healthy offspring
This does not seem to him to be i'm
possible, inaSmuch as high ideals have
advanced civilization to its present
elevated plane. Unfit persons he
would try to influence by appealing to
their sense of duty. Besides the list
of ailments first mentioned, DR..
Campbell says that most persons who
have suffered with disease which was
cured by the surgeons skill are like
wise unit to marry. and he also would
exclude those who suffer with func-
tiOnal disorders of the nervous system.
1.-The highly sensitive" says he, "are
not suited to this hard world" And
again, Il fear it must be acknowledged
that as regards happiness-Which at
any rate from the purely physical
point of view may perhaps be fairly
looked upon as our beings end and
aim-the fine animal with little
imagination and a good thick skin has
the best time of it here's the most
truly fit
Now, to the merits of the question.
'NeritaS" faVOrs the measure because
he thinks it would be a step towards
perfecting the intellectual, physical
and moral character of the people.
But would it? We don't believe it.
We are creatures of environment, and
be our birth the nObleSt or the humbl-
est in the land we may end in a felOn S
cell or on a throne, according as Cir
cumStanceS and our wills shape our
destiny. LinCOln's parents were poor
Kentucky frOntlerSmen. NerO'S par
Cntage was of royal blood. You cannot
breed q perfect race of men, be your
restrictions ever so severe, and what
folly it is to think that you can
legiSlate morality and intellectuality
into men. There was time when
the law and the church were Jointly
supreme in the world, but were men
any more morally perfect then than
they are today?
According to the generally accepted
ideas of morality, we believe the
senator's bill would foster the sin OF
Illicit connection between the sexes
because if prevented from effecting
an honorable marriage, the unfortun,
ates who might fail to pass muster
before a commission of punctillious
physicians would be driven to crafty
their natural desires and passions
without the pale of marriage, and
only one law under heaven would
prevent them and that would be
death. From the standpoint of thoSt
who believe in the virtue Of the
marriage relation this relation of the
sexes today needs Strengthening rather
than being restricted.
There is natural law restricting
the defOrmed, feeble-minded anC
physically unfit from marrying that
seldom ever needs the civil law tC
assist it in its memorable work, that
is the law of selection, and it is Otter
only by the greatest persistence or
the part of the unfortunate subject Q,
that law, that he or she can circum
vent its beheStS. Is it not preSump
ton and the height Of folly tor mar
to suppose that he can improve upOr
this august law of God or natural law
If you prefer?