The independent., 1907-04-11


ever in the presence of vast, immedi-
cable want and woe. However smiling
the gardens of Daphne, they had al
ways to slope down into huge malo-
dorous quagmire of wretchedness The
wheel of Ixon, the cup of Tantalus.
symbolized humanity striving ever by
labor and ingenuity to relieve itself
of painful burden, only to have that
burden inexorably rolled back upon II
by it's own fatal fecundity. The un-
looked for promptness with winch, un-
der the influence of democracy ana
public education, the masses have ac-
auired a sense of responsibility in the
matter of family, bids us look for a
time when the spectre Of oyerpopula-
tion, with strife. misery and famine
in it's ghastIy train, win be finally laid,
and society will for the first time be-
come master of its destiny.
But there are disquieting effecB
which must be taken into account.
The sway of the will in matter
hitherto left to blind instinct works
yeritable revolution and cannot but
breed certain harms of its own. AT
first the new foresight Is used wanton-
ly and destructively. The same in
dividualiZing influences that have gen.
orally tempered the general fecundlty
prompt some couples to a selfish eva
sion of all duties to the race. Salutary
is restriction so far as it springs from
wise solicitude for the true welfare
of offspring; but when it springs from
personal cravings and ambitions II may
go too far No one can tell where II
will stop. The refusal to be encum-
bered in the pursuit of vanities might,
il it became general, cause population
to dwindle in the midst OF an Eden
The fall of the birth rate in roony'
New South Wales from 81 to " in four
teen years is a portent. Shall we i've
to see the mother Of more than three
regarded as public benefactor ano
placed on the payroll OF the statef lnIs
exaggerated individualism, that avoids
marriage or else lodges it's natural
nscuuences, forebodes the extinction
Of the class, the people, or the race
threatening frivoIity need 70 be com
bated in the name of real values. NOR
NAV be blink the fact that in order TO
control the size of the family some
have resortcd to means fraught Wth
grave and insidious injury to health.
The Ideal Family.
In the matter of reproduction 1t IS
| not vet possible to substitute 1ntelll-
eence for instinct without creating a
mental attitude responsible FOR num-
erous one child or two child families,
where both parents and children miss
| many of the best lessons or life ne
children reared in such stunted fam
lilies, instead Of surprising the stan-
ina and character fall below the av-
ora 90. Tbe type to be standardized is
not the family OF one to three. but
the family of four to six. The one
child or two child ideal growing IN
favor with the middle class would, if
popularized, hurry us to extinction IN
| such families prodigious pains are
taken to keep breath in defective or
| sickIv children. Instead OF being
wceded out in infancy by natural pro-
cess the weaklings are kept alive by
lavish care, and the national vitality
is lowered
Since it is the rising that first feel
the individualizing influences. these
check their increase while yet the
stocks below them breed at the old
reckless rate. The outcome is num-
ericai gain of mediocres over capables
threatening an eventual dearth OF
ability in the race thus impoverished
at the top. This untoWard phenomenon
is. however, but passing phase Inc
lower strata are coming or may pe
brought within reach of the influences
that moderate multiplication. If we
speed up the individualizing agencies
till the unthinking and british have
become mere remnant the danger
will disappear. Furthermore, tho
closer legal restriction OF child labor
by making offspring expensive, In
stead OF profitable, may check the free
propagation OF stocks deficient in ca.
pacity or parental altruism.
The revolt against senseless par.
entage Is a colossal secular phenom-
enon OF varied aspects. and few of III
appraisers are competent TO judge
more than the one OF two aspects tha
appeal 10 them No one who envis
ages All the aspects Of this pregnan
thing, who succeeds In seeing II stead
ilv and seeing IL whole, will laud o
condemn II in unqualified terms
Grantcd but the question forces
Itself. II the core OF the thing goo'
or had2 is the dethronement OF Ishta
AZ mistress OF social destiny a bless