The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-20
THE SALTLAKE HER AID.
OF MARRIAGE
APPROVED BY PHYSICIANS,
LAWYERS AND MINISTER'S

tons. The matter of passing an examina-
tlon would be serious drawback, now
ever, and II Will be hard to make Such a
law practical in it's workings. 1t would
be a good thing to put in a money clause.
TOO, and prevent q man from marrying
who had to borrow the money for his IL
cenSe.
Should Be Regulated.
Dr. A. c. Behle-The subject is a deep
one and will bear a great deal of study.
but 1t is safe to say if il cannot be trusted
TO the individuals and their family and
physicians. it must be regulated by law.
Instead of applying only to the feeble
minded, think 1t should apply with equal
force &c the physically deficient, and then
l think its enforcement should be within
reasonable limits. OF course idiots and
epileptics should not be permitted to
marry but feeble-minded is broad term
and might apply to large class.
Dr. j. +. CritchlOw-The English people
think the marriage OF cousins is all right
and claim that there is no argument
against it, but there can be no doubt to
medical man that a great proportion of
the cases Of weak-minded and incompe-
tent children are attributable to this
cause. / should certainly prohibit the
marriage of relations of a close degree OF
conSanguinity and / should say the far
Their away the better. Marriage Of those
who are related tends to a degeneration of
the species in humans just as it does
among animals. | should advocate having
all applicants submit to rigid questions
as to their fitness for marriage before a
medical board but l should not give the
power to any one person. Such an exam
inatiOn should be made secretly and 1T
should be freed from all humiliatinS pro-
ceedings. 1t would include restriction of
persons afflicted by any transmissible
diesase as well as those related by blood.
/ should also advocate the registration of
all suspects of consumption and a semi
quarantine OF such for instruction in re-
gard to their duties to others.
Need Is Evident.
z. A. Wedgewood:-'T think the prin-
ciple is all right and that there is
need is evident The applying of it would
be the grave question. | think there
are some cases where reasons why GER
tain persons should not marry are per-
fectly clear. but IL any reasonable doubt
exists believe the matter should be care
fully inquired into before the persons are
denied a license. There should be GER
tain questions, which If answered in a
suitable manner would establish the
rights on both sides.
T.. NJ. Allison, Jr.:-"Such a law ought
undoubtedly to be passed, but just how
wide its scope should be and how it Will
be carried out are questions to be solved.
The motive behind the law is most bene-
ficent and seeks the betterment of the
whole race. 1T is vital for the protection
of the state and her future citizens
Not Unconstitutional.
A. L. Hoppaugh:-'T believe some such
restriction should be made. certainly. The
idea of allowing an idiot or even a weak
minded person to perpetuate his kind is
repugnant to all ] believe all persons
having diseases which may be transmitted
or a congenital weakness which might
impair the offspring. should be disbarred.
N see nothing unconditional in the mat
ter, as it is a question Of public health.
Marriage of Cousins.
DR.. w NJ. Paden:-'T am not at all
prejudiced against the marriage of cous-
ms, and i have personally seen many
such marriages apparently desirable.
feel that perhaps a hard and fast rule
against such marriages would deter mar
riage in many cases and be a worse evil
But against the marriages of persons
either mentally or physically unfit, /
should say make il SO strong that such
marriages will be impossible and the
more stringent the better.
Rev. p. A. Simpkin:-"Dr. Beattys idea
is in the right direction. All that can
be done TO make the human family Of to-
morrow physically and mentally stronger
ought to be done. Marriage of such per-
sons whose cases are covered in the pro-
posed bill should be forbidden. And while
l believe this is a question for national
legislation, it is well to begin with state
measures.