The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-30
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Potter ou Race Sui. lde. /"

Bishop n. C. Potter of New York dis
eusses the 'race suicide" and laments
that there are no good old fashioned
families like mother used to raise. Ii
not mother, then we must refer to grand
mother. The good bishop speaks of the
passing of the true home life and the au-
tonomy of the American women. Bishop
Potter expresses himself as follows: Il
fear it is true, and it is certainly re-
erettabie. that the American women of
today are opposed to large families, par
ticularly large ones after the old fash
toned way. In Webster's time, say, the
best men and women of the republic
came from large families. [ think it
must have been the association of large
families of children with each other, the
doing for each other, the selfdenial each
one for the others and for their parents
that made the men of strong character
and the women of noble domestic life of
other generations. This sort of home
training, where there are brothers and
sisters mingling together under the same
roof, instills into boys and girls, young
men and young women, the noblest in
stincts, the most worthy ambitions.
Children and young people must have
an Unborn and bred veneratiou, as we'll
as a responsible feeling for those nearest
and dearest to them, their brothers and
sisters, in order to make the best men
and women of them Where the couple
desires but one child, it is most unfortu-
nate for that child. For parents to de-
liberately deprive their lone child of
brothers and sisters is a grave thing.
They want the one for pet, perhaps In
that case their child was born in selfish
ness and will be reared in the same at
mosphere If this continues from gener-
alton to generation it will be sad for the
republic.
'.Modern methods of living, as exem-
plifed in the large apartment houses of
our cities and towns, have undoubtedly
had great deal to do with the passing
out of existence, to large extent, of
what we may call the old fashioned
home
In answer to the question whether he
believed the women of this country have
too much on their hands, Mr.. Potter re-
Piled: "The women of this country do
more than the women of any other coun-
try of the world. England comes next in
their liberty. In France they have less
independence, and when one reaches Italy
he finds the freedom of the women there
still less. While our women have their
independence in property rights and other
matters they are not part of the gov
erning community.
"Men and women who are seeking the
most happiness for themselves, and who
desire to be good men and women, as
well as useful citizens, unfolding the
good name of the republic, of which we
are so proud, cannot shrink from the re-
sponsibilities and the duties of the home,
which is the foundation of all that is
good, everything that is everlasting
peace"
In answer to a question as to whether
he believed the Catholic families, as a
rule, possess more children than Protes-
tant families, and, if this was true, what
would be the condition of Professionalism
in few generations, Bishop Potter said:
Probably the Roman Catholics retain
strict vigilance over many confding
heads of families, but you are now on a
question which cannot be adequately dis
eussed in an interview, and I would
rather be excused from discussing the
matter any further"