The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-05-20
The Race Suicide" Question.

discussion OF tne question ny Iho press
and public. Mrs. Owens-Adair, NJ. D.,
of this city contributed an interesting
article on the subject in the Portland
Oregonian of May Sd, which THE HERALD
herewith reproduces:
Il have been watching the discussion
of the race problem with great interest.
And l was greatly pleased this morning
with grandmother discussion OF THE
Family Question This is many
sided subject and as a physician l have
had the opportunity of viewing it from
various standpoints. And as grand
mother says, the question is no longer
sacred but through newspaper dis
cussion has become very common.
President Roosevelt is great man, and
we all rejoice that the White House is
the home of five happy children-not
large family as compared with Oregon
and Washington pioneer families. Many
pioneer mothers have given three times
that number to their state. But judging
from the signs of the times such
mothers will soon become obsolete and
will be remembered only in history. As
President Roosevelt said of his son, when
he was convalescing. He seeming out
OF the woods with leaps and bounds.
And so with our Nation, we are going
ahead with leaps and bounds We
have no time for old-fashioned ways or
old-fashioned living. They are cast be-
hind us like worn out garments. Moth
ing but high pressure and rapid transit
will satisfy us. Education is our Nations
watchword. Our daily papers are vol
umes within themselves. Weread them
principally through their headlines, edi-
torials and telegraphic dispatches. There
is no place set aside, nowadays, in which
to file away our newspapers. We are
deluged with periodicals, filled with good
reading, which we should like to read if
we only had the time. Sixty years ago
we were glad to get one mail in twelve
a year we were delighted. Now we are
not satisfied with two free deliveries a
day.
"No one thinks OF doing business with
out a telephone. The doctor calls the
family or nurse up, inquiries about his
patient, then calls the druggist, dictates
a prescription and orders the medicine
sent. And so with other business. The
housewife, the neighbors, all give orders
and gossip over the phone. Even the
little tots know how to climb up to the
phone and ring up central, and make
their little wants known. And is there
any wonder that when we are living SO
fast and rushing ahead with such speed,
that the wife finds neither time nor de-
sire for maternity? Child bearing is
hard, and the rearing of children re-
quires constant care. And as society is
today our girls are not reared and drilled
a. there grandmothers were, in the care
of children and the home. From the
ages OF : to 20 they are kept in school.
From the high school they 60 70 the
normal-from there to the university.
Then they are ushed into matrimony and
expected to rear large family. When
such mother, without wealth at her
command, attempts to bring child into
the world, every two or even three years,
as a rule, she breaks down and becomes
physical wreck. 1t matters not how
much sentiment or glamour is thrown
about motherhood. All the stern reality
falls to her lot, and society has aug
mented her sufferings and responsible
ties ten fold. No children nowadays
grow up like 'Topsies.' No more girls
marry with parents consent at the age
of IA to begin raising large family. No
more boys and girls at the age OF ii and
10 can be found on the farm or in the
homes doing mems and women's work.
Certainly not in Oregon, where we have
a humane law to protect our children
under the age of 10 from doing work
after stated hours.
Sixty or even thirty years ago the
labor question was not under discussion.
Girls could be obtained at from 81 to
81 per week. They could wash, iron,
clean, cook, take care of the children
and the house. A week meant seven
full DAYS. But those days are gone.
The new girl as well as the new woman
has come to stay. Education has
lifted her out and beyond those old
fashioned ways. Now we can talk with
the nations OF the world by wires under