The Topeka state journal., 1903-02-11
URGES MORE CHILDREN.
President Roosevelt Writes of
Present Day Tendencies.

New York, Feb. u.-President Roose-
velt has written a preface for a book
/ by Mrs. John Van Worst, to be pub
/ lished next week by Doubleday, Page
j & Co, entitled THE Woman Who
Tolls" In this he deplores the ten
+ dency in America toward small fam
lies. Replying to letter of Mrs. Van
/ Worst President Roosevelt said:
White House, Washington, Oct. Is,
1902--My Dear Mrs Van Worst: L
must write you a line to say how much
have appreciated your article, The
Woman Who Tolls.
But to me there is a most melan-
choly side to it, when you touch upon
what is Fundamentally infinitely more
important than any other question in
this country, that is, the question of
race suicide, complete or partial.
An easy, good-natured kindness
and desire to be ndependent'-that
is. to live ones life purely according to
ones own desiTes-are in no sense sub
stitutes for the fundamental virtues.
for the practice of the strong racial
qualities without which there can be
no strong races-the qualities of cour-
age and resolution in both men and
women, OF. sc0rn Of what IS mean, base
and selfish. of eager desire to work or
suffer as the case may be, provided the
end to be attained is great enough,
and the contemptuOus putting aside of
mere ease. mere rapid pleasure, mere
avoidance of toll and worry.
II do not know whether I most pity
or most desDise the foolish and selfish
man or woman who does not under
stand that the only things really worth
having in life are those the acquire
ment of which normally means cost and
effort
IF q. man or woman, through no fault
of his or hers, goes througout life de.
MED those highest of all joys which
spring only from home life. from the
having and bringing up Of many
healthy children. L feel for them deep
and respectful sympathy-the sympathy
one extends to the gallant fellow killed
at the beginning of a campaign, or the
man who tolls hard and is brought
to ruin by the fault Of others.
But the man or woman who dellb~
erately avoids marriage and has heart
so cold as to know no passion and
brain so shallow and selfish as to dis
ike having children is in effect a Grim
iual against the race and should be ah
object of contemDtuous adherence by
all healthy people.
"0f course no one quality makes a
good citizen and no one quality will
save a nation. But here are certain
great qualities for the lack of which no
account Of Intellectual brilliancy or of
material prosperity or of easiness of life
can atone. and which show decadence
and corruption in the nation just as
much if they are produced by selfish
ness and coldness and ease-lOving lazi-
ness among comDarati lively poor people
as if they are produced by vicious or
frivolous luxury in the rich.
IF the men of the nation are not anx-
ious to work in many different ways,
with all their might and strength and
ready and able to fight at need and
anxious to be fathers Of families. and if
the women do not recognize that the
greatest thing for any woman is to be
a good wife and mother. why, that ma
ton has cause to be alarmed about its
future
There is no physical trouble among
situation you set forth is one of char
acter, and therefore, we can conquer 1t
if we only will. Very sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"