The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-09-24
Race Suicide
Editor
President
Indanend mt.

EuitOT luuepeHQ INT. froSlQenL
Roosevelt's action, on August 8, 1903,
in sending a $500 check to Mr.. and
Mrs. VIM. H. Signet, of Pittsburg, Pa,
on the occasion Of the birth OF their
twentieth child, taken in connection
with his recent California reference to
fcrops of children his action of
March 3, 1908, in congratulating Mr..
George Cunningham, of Gloucester
City, N. j., on the birth of triplets,
and his previous letter to Mrs. Van
Worst, of New York city, advocating
large families, affords increasing evil
deGce of coarseness in the presidents
character which is calculated to cree
ate general disgust and adherence
The president is welded to fall
lacy whose prevalence is equalled on
LIZ by its far-reaching capacity for
levil, namely, that large families are
desirable per Sc, fundamental social
ftllacy about which both education
and religion are strangely and culpa-
| bly silent. Is the president so ignor-
ant as not to know that mere num-
bers is the last thing that parents
should covet, or the municipality, or
tie state, or the n"tion? Does he not
hrow that one child born thoroughly
we'll endowed is enough better for So
ciety than ten children born to life
of utter commonness, with the world
no better for their having lived?
Which, pray, does the president rate
higher-Greece, with her small pop
uiation and imperishable achieve
ments, or China with her teeming
millions? Ay, which will he say is
better-the United States, small in
population, but great in moral
strength, the world-power for liberty
and self-government; or the United
States of the twentieth century, vita
population SO grown as tc enthrone
brute force as the national ideal, to
seek her highest national concern no
longer in social advancement at home,
hut in foreign markets and interna-
tional complications, to sacrifice the
highest political ideals on the altar
Of a piratical, colscience-searing, soul
destroying commercialism.
But the chief victim of the presi-
dents proposed policy would be the
VIC manhood of America, it subjecting
as it would, one-half the people to the
/ passions of the other half, inflicting
in ever increasing severity the aug
ust martyrdom OF motherhood" null
Itiplying society's chief danger, the un-
welcome child, condemning women to
a life of toll rendered shameful by
the unworthiness of those served
ahridging for half the people those
birth-rights of the soul, education and
wcrld-knowledge. With President
Roosevelt, woma is not so much Q
human being as an animal, not sc
much Gods great agent for the ideal
ization and capitalization of life as
a factor ir the exercise of certain
physiological functions common to
the brutes. NAPOLEON l., when asked
the chief need Of France, is said tC
have replied, Mothers ''-mothers not
, IN the noble sense in which they may
Indeed be considered the chief desid.
e1atum of society. but mothers to ths
end that he might have more fighting
men to sacrifice to his personal ag
grandizement. We can we'll imagine
President Roosevelt echoing the bru
tai answer of the French emperor. i
the women of America do not protes
against the degradation which tn,
president Of the United States would
impose upon them, they lack the in