The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-08-13

Were tn OF for the fact that in the rural districts this condition is not so
apparent the danger Of the country would be much greater than it is. In the
country there may not be as many children OF the average among the families
of American born parents az formerly, but the rate of increase is still much
will be secure s. long Is the rural districts are still able to send their wOthiest
SONS to the cities, there Ito take the most important places, Is n o excuse FOL te
parents now living in the cities for not doing their share to reproduce a race
which has taken first place in the world.
For the mother who deliberately sacrifices the joys Of motherhood in order
to be able Ito devote more of her time to society, and for the father who pre-
fes to be able to have his automobile and his clubs and his handsome city
and country homes. without being burdened in even the slightest way by a
large family of children, there is no excuse, there can be none.
And for the fashionable mother who delivers her child over to TIT care
Of a nurse Immediately after its birth there is still less excuse. To this fact
to the unhappy fact that a large proportion Of city bred children are brought
up or bottles is due tie great preponderance If country bred men among those
who re filling the positions of Importance in all cities. Statistics prove
that less than fifteen per cent of such men were born in cities. Fed when
young on a bottle, instead of being nourshed Is nature demands. they are
were started right and before they entered on their careers gained the strength
and nervous energy necessary in the life We are leading in tn larger crtes.
To this violation Of the laws of nature is due much Of the weakness and
tendency to disease which is so strikingly apparent among city children as
compared with those bred in the country.
1 cannot. too strongly express my opinion on this point. The tue arstoc-
racy of this country is m arStocracy of brains, whether 1t originates in the
farm house, the tenement or the palace, but If W e aret to continue to have this
sort If a a:iSocracy the men and women who now make 1t up must not fail
wishes to solve this problem in her W way. would much better make a
choice O. q Young mn of brains than Of the young millionaire without them.
1t should not be 20 much a question Of money IS of real ambition and oil
iy in the future father. That is the important point and if this condition Of
affairs is not 10 be altered for the worse it behooves the educated men and
women of the present to think for the future, and to remember tina 1t is thu
Iuxuries and nt the necessities Of life that make US cowardly about taking
upcn ourselves increased responsibilities concident with increased families
OF children.
The toe careful man presumes that his children may not be able to sc.
ceed as well as he has done. On the other hand, 1 often wonder what our
forefathers who worried wei the prospective poverty of their descendants
would a if they could see the present palatial mansions Of their millionaire
grandchildren. In some respects this view might be taken by our children as a
reflection upon their ability, and might be becomingy resented by some telling
arguments Of dlsparagement