The Washington times., 1905-03-26


rich, and suggestions as to the best
means to alter existing faults. have
been commented upon by several Of the
most prominent members of the clergy
in Washington.
Their views are as follows:
What Bishop Thinks.
Bishop Satterlee in speaking of race
suicide in fashionable and wealthy
homes, said:
In Washington I have not observed
the matter as closely as in New York.
and am not go we'll prepared to discuss
either the fact or the cause. In New
York l have noticed that the Sunday
schools in the wealthfer churches, To-
Gated in the more fashionable parts Of
the city, are less well attended than
those in the poorer sections, and, also,
that there are fewer christenings.
while ] am sure from casual OBJ
servation that this is true. I am not
sure that it is at all an i'll omen. Fami-
lies who were constantly before the
public in social and other affairs thirty
years ago still live in New York, but
so quietly, SO obscurely that one scarce
within the same length of time, there
Just as wealthy. and who do just Is
much good in the world
For all the rich who die, others ap-
pear to take their places, and society
at large seems none the worse off for
the change If there are fewer births
in the families of the rich than OF the
poor it does not signify that this is
the wish of the rich.
There are many reasons other than
the mere desire TO avoid the cares of
childhood This is an age of luxury,
and of clubs. It is not an age Of early
marriages.
Men love their freedom. and ease,
ard knowing the luxurious demands of
domestic life, refrain from marrying. or
after marriage, still refrain from the
cares of paternity. Women, too. have
the same reluctance to take upon them
in this progressive age it entails so
much
THE longer men and women live sin
gle. the less likely they are to raise
large families of children after mar
rage, because only the very young and
Inexperienced in the world, or people Of
the simplest possible habits and taste,
would bring q number of children into
the world to be raised and educated.
"Anc her thing. this is an age of SOCIAL
dissipation, and there are remote cases
where mon and women refrain from the
cares attending childhood, because Il in
terferes with their social ambitions.
However, after all, there seems nc
way Of getting ar the birthrate OF classes
especially among the rich. The church
would scarcely tell the story, for people
OF the richer classes are probably more
careless about christening than former
~, and their children certainly do not
attend the Sunday school as In past
years.
with the poorer classes. church ant
Sunday scnooi is sort of an entertain,
ment, and having fewer demands made
upon them by the outside world espe,
cialIy In social Intercourse than th<
rich. they turn to these things yer,
often for the social intercourse il gives
Even admitting that there are fewer
children born to the rich than to the
poor at the present time one must re.
HeHiper now comparatively 1eW really
| rich people there are in the world after
all, and also the difference in the modes
| of life of the two classes
Whether the often undue precautior
the rich may exercise TO avoid tn,
cares attendant upon raising larg,
family, or the absolute disregard an(
| lack OF responsibility in the poor whc
bring into the world a number of suf
fering, struggling children. is tn,
greater crime. is hard to decide. OBJ
servation is the only means known 81