Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-01
The Breeders Association Turns
Attention From Stock to
Human Culture
THEY SEE NATIONAL PERIL
Scientists to Devote Energies in Com.
batting the Evil Effects of Marriage
of Defective Persons-Professor
Henderson and Or. Bell of Chicago
University Talk.

L
ring only for those happy young per-
sons who succeed in passing state
inspection test, If the ideas of the
American Stock Breeders Association
are carried out. The association has
turned for the moment from the con-
sideration of cattle, sheep and swine
to the culture of humans, and it Will
be ultimate business Of the committee
of eugenics, just appointed, to keep an
eye our for ill-mated pairs A mar
rage censorship may result II the in
spection idea proves practicable.
Prof. Charles r. Henderson, Of the
University of Chicago sociology de-
partment. Is a member of the commits
Bell is chairman The immediate OBJ
ject of the committee, DIS explained by
Professor Henderson, is to spread in
formation in regard to the Ill effects OF
the marriage of defective persons, in
GLIDING "imbeciles, idiots and feeble
minded" Insane persons, confirmed
drunkards and moral degenerates are
to be restrained in colonies and kept
from marrying. Restriction of those
whose stars do not jibe will come later.
Race suicide enters into the consid-
Grafton Of the breeders. but an indis-
criminate increase of the population is
for from their purpose. 1t is rather
the healthy increase that they expect
to result from sane marriage laws
that is their aim.
Their Marriage Crime.
Scientific men everywhere are look
ing for methods of limiting the liberty
OF defective persons" said Professor
Henderson. "Such peopla should not
be allowed to marry. Their children
are always defective and it is a crime
to permit them to unite. Those of
unsound mind should be restrained.
"rhe committee at present will spend
its time in spreading information on
this subject and working up public
opinion. We probably will agree upon
a bill later to be introduced in the va
rious states. Congress- of course, can
not make laws governing marriage.
After we have succeeded in prohibiting
the marriage of these defective persons
we will have time to look after the
cases of other diseased persons.
Confirmed alcoholics and other de-
generates should be put to work on
farms or colonies, where they can earn
their living. Professor Bell has made
a deep study of the subject, and has
found that the intermarriage of the
deaf tends to increase the number Of
defective children
Has Wide Scope.
A person disposed rashly to jump at
might assume that the
American Breeders Association is
some sort of combine OF stock ranch
owners, but this would be far from
the truth 1t is nothing of the kind
1t raises no cattle as an association,
and if any of it's members do, it is
simply an incident which has nothing
TO do with the aims of the orgaHza-
ton. 1t is made up of people in this
and other countries who are interested
IN animal and plant improvement, and
he animal end of the schedule includes
numn beings.
Persons who never raised a COW or a
hog or a horse or a sheep in all their
ives are just as common in it as OLD
maids in a mothers society. To be a
member of it you need only to be inter-
ested in the cause for which the as
exists. and not necessarily a
breeder of farm animals. The associ- |
alton takes within it's scope everything
hat grows, and so, of course, there is
10 escape for the human race from |
is fostering care.