The San Francisco call., 1907-03-03


age American family consists ot
two children A hundred years ago
chidless marriages were looked upon
as a dirsct chastisemeRt OF Cod now
sey are regarded by thousands OF
sple As the ideal state OF marriage
nine out or. ten persons, II asked
nat they consider the ideal number
OF children. will say; 'Two-s boy and
girl"
This ideal" OF family. one or two
children, IS not confined TO the large
cities or TO the East II prevails al
over the country. except in the small
towns and villages OF the South. Nor
Is Il only the idle rich and the college
graduates who want small families or
none at all. this desire 70 limit the size
OF the family has taken possession OF
vast numbers Of moderately weli-to-do
and moderately weil-educated people
The situation is a serious one. We.
as a nation, are deliberately ceasing 20
reproduce our lSin6, except in the poor
est and most ignorant classes OF
society.
What are The reasons for thiss
Is this growing tendency TO limit the
size OF the family a good thing or bad
tsing for the nationP
Does Il mean that the individual IS
mo-e selfish OF that he is more con-
scisntious?
In The American Idea" published
this month by A S. Barnes & Co.. Mrs.
. l. x. Comuanoer presents the results
OF three years OF energetic investiga-
tfon OF these questions. She has gath
cred opinions al first hand from hum
dreds of people in different parts ot the
country By personal interviews and
correspondence she has obtained the
views OF men and women famous in
their professions and business.
However, ST is not only eminent peo-
pie whom she has questioned: almost
al classes ~ society arc represented
In the book The authors aim was 10
SCI tbc feeling OF the great American
public on these questions. Rich man,
poor man. beggsr man. thief. doctor.
lawyer, merchant chief" are almost
a3 represented IN this valuable and
astonishing collection Of testimony.
Physicians TO tho rich and physicians
TO the poor were interviewed. From
far and wide they reported practically
the same thing, that parents who want
more than two children are rarely
found Thirty-eight out OF forty-six
physicians in one city replied. when
asked what they found TO be the ideal
American family. Two children-a boy
and a girl"
One physician. whose patients have
incomes OF from $4,000 TO $1,000 a year,
said: Among my patients find that
the majority do not want any children;
certainly not more than one. I should
say that, as 4 rule. the second IS an
accident. the third q misfortune and
the fourth q tragedy"
responsibility Of Ignorant Poor
It is among the ignorant poor. the
people who are always being helped by
charity, that there IS no attempt to
restrict reproduction Such people have
no sense OF responsibility. either as
citizens or parents; they expect the
charity organizations and the settle
rnents 20 help them until the children
can earn g Few cents 90 help along"
They have nc fde2i for their children
beyond the hope that. as soon ss pos
sibls, they VIII get work and be able
20 hold their SOB. What chance has a
FAMILY OF seven or eight children TO
become skilled in q trade or profession,
70 become educated, thoughtful. vaiu-
able citizens when the income OF the
parents is not sufhcient TO take care
OF more than one chlidg
II IL because o. the lack OF RESPONSE
bfity in such parents that the state
OF New York pays s2.oO0.O0o annually
FOR the care or dependent children.
There are 10000 children kept by
charity. not including the blind, deaf,
or feeble minded.
''rhe law OF self-preservation dorni-
mates the law OF reproduction"
AS soon as parents begin 10 be am
bilious that their children shall be
educated and trained so that they shall
have a better start in life than their
parents had. then they begin 70 realize
tho. necessity OF limiting the size OF the
family.
.s)r. A. l., who has done free clinic
work for ten years. seeing an average
OF eighteen patients daily said: When
ever the women Of the poorer classes
is the least bit above the lowest level
she desires 70 cease having children.
40 request s..inade Of me oftener in. the
clinic than for advice along these lines,
fourteen other physicians having clinic
experience confirmed these opinions.
.sDr. T. T., who has a practice among
intelligent foreigners, and is interested
: IN sociological problems. said: The size
81 the family depends upon it's bearing
upon the struggle FOR life. In old coun-
tries: especially among the peasantry,
the family meant earning power. II
cost little 70 raise a child and he early
went TO work In this country the un-
szmericanized foreigner still feels the
same he expects his child TO begin TO
black sboofe~or sell nauere In childhood