The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-08-14

Harper's Weekly: In the North Amerk
can Review for July, Miss Margaret Bis
land discusses the falling off Of the birth
rate among native Americans, and ate
tributes it ito nothing more or less than
the o~vereducation and abnormal public
activities SO ardently encouraged among
war" In the bible story of the fall and
the curse OF Eve, she finds an allGgorical
record of a primeval experience of man.
kind which resulted In the conclusion
that in women too much knowledge of
good and evil-too much mental cultiva-
ton and active participation in general
affairs-was inevitably prejudiced to
child-bearing, and that unless women's
energies were restricted to the domestic
side of life, the race would run out. In
the early days of the Roman republic the
Roman woman as mistress of her house
hold held a place very like that occupied
by the wives of our pioneers. She found
complete occupation at home and was
highly successful as the mother Of strong
men. In Rome's later days with the
emancipation of the Roman ladies' from
domestic labors and their participation in
politics, came celfbacy, childlessness, di-
vorce, the degeneration of the Roman
race. the dimiilution OF the old Latin
stock, and the maintenance Of the popu-
LAY AZ AiAl dlll aHDdTOdT1anS HMWheN
empire fell there came a blight upon
civilization mot unlike that which ages
before drove the man and woman out Of
Eden. Eyelike the woman of Europe re-
sumed her task of bringing forth chill
dren; her desire was to her husband. and
he ruled over her.
Through the conservation OF the wom-
en-, Miss Bisland thinks, Europe has
achieved her true destiny: ''for lack Of
that very ~precaution we of the United
States bid fair to dare the fate that over
Whelmed the equally ambitious Roman"
False energies, it seems, and, abnormal
ambitions possess the Americanized wom-
an. But 1T isn't her fault. AS long as
she found honorable. independent, profit
able employment at home she stayed
there content, and her ambitions were
realized in her children. But when the
greedy current of commercialism tore out
OF her hands all home employment. she
followed her task to the mills and fac
tories" Forced to get her living outside
her home, she has reached naturally for
whatever laws, privileges, training and
education would help her. Men, finding
feminine labor cheap and efficient, have
been glad to train 1t. But 1t has all hurt
family life. Fewer children are born to a
marriage, and divorces have increased
until now in the western reserve Of Ohio
there IS one to every eleven marriages.,
What we most need, she thinks. Isl not
new incentives to education, or new
spheres Of public activity for our women.
but re-eleyation OF the motherhood ideal.
Otherwise out of this western Eden we
shall go. because Eve, as before. has
eaten too freely Of the tree OF knowledge.
II 10 easy to say that the. North Ameri-
cans contributor has not told the whole
story; 1t IS easy to point out exceptions
TO the general rules she offers, and her
view that overeducation is a chief cause
OF race decline Is denied by some excel
lent authorities. But there is plenty Of
acknowledged; truth in what she saws.
and h has put it impressively. What
are we going tosdo about it? Close the
college for. girls? Put hobbies on the
hlghe education Of women? Separate
the typewriter from its mistress? Pro
nipit the employment of girls and women
In factories? No, none OF these expedi-
ents are practicable. II all the people
who want children and cannot have them
could be suddenly supplied, much Of our
reproach would for the time being be
taken away, but that is no practicable
either. Legislation, fines, rewards. taxa
ton of celibates-all these expedients
would be Of trifiing effect. The strongest
direct artificial force that works in this
country for the multiplication OF or
spring seems to be the Roman Catholic
church. No other artificial force NOT
even president Roosevelt, makes more
than q temporary showing. The condo
lions OF living have checked the increase
OF population among our native-born citi-
zens. and II anything ever starts this
birth rate upwards again some change in
the conditions of living Is likely to be
at the bottom Of 1t. Meanwhile the treat
ment by exhortation and persuasion In
the only one practicable.