Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-05-22
NOT WITHOUT OPPOSITION
Authorof the Measure Makes a Most
Effective Address-Shovs That In
crease Of Detectives IS Nearly
Five Tines Greater Than Increase
Of Population.

blNef, NOfcfoSS and j. +. Baker made
effective speeches in favor of the
measure, The provisions of the bill
are rather new and startling. and f
the senate concurs Wisconsin will be
in the front rank in respect TO pro
gfesSive legislation to amehorate a cry.
ing evil in the present social order
namely, the astounding increase n
the number of mental detectives in
this country, due largely to heredlty.
The bill provides for the appoint
ment of a committee of three which
Is to investigate cases OF incurable
mbeciles, idiots and epileptics, and
proceed to make the slight surgical
operation which will render them
sterile. An amendment was offered
by Assemblynan Elyer which pre-
cludes the operation in cases where
parents of the afflicted raise opjec-
ton.
Assemblyman Elver made the prin-
cipal speech for his measure. He
20 nted to the increase in the popu.
lation and the increase in the mental
detectives in the country, the former
showing but 30 per cent. increase
and the latter 153 per cent. A large
majority of these are born as idiots
and imbeciles. due to the freedom
now ENJOYED by inmates of asylums
aud the undue amount o. illegit mate
children reared by them Mr.. Elyer
pointed out that something must be
done to curb this evil, and that the
bill under discussion was but a short
step in the right direction. He re.
futed the objection that the opera
on was cruel and contrary to divine
law, showing clearly how the opera,
tion was endorsed by leading physi.
clans who had performed it many
times, and citing scriptural passages
which supported his position. His
argument showed scholarly inves.
tigation of the subject.
Assemblyman Norcross made a fer.
vent appeal TO the members to do
something TO relieve the unfortunate
conditions now exis ting; that if there
was right and wrong involved in en-.
acting this sort of leg station, the
wrong consisted in letting things re.
main as they are and subject helpless
female inmates to just as helpless
and irresponsible males.
Assemblyman Baker called atten-
ton to the fact that the opposition
had not cited any authorities aga INST
the bill. but relied entirely on sen
timental objections to defeat the
measure. He criticized the arg1l.
ments that the enactment of such a
law could be justified only by plac-
ing human beings in the category of
lower animals, He C ted instances
where, on that Justification itself.
the operation proposed should have
been performed, for many men within
his knowledge could be regarded as
nothing better than lower an mails
DR.. Miller and Mr. Kander also
spoke for engrossment. both taking
the stand that the bill was not even
drastic enough to SUI, til nm
Mr.. Carpenter made the chief argu-
ment against the bill, declaring that
there was no justification for mutilat
ing, as he said. a human being
created in the image of his maker .
He urged that the divine law for
bade that men should take 1t into
their hands to deprive a fellow man
Of anything which God had bestowed
upon him. J. p. Peterson spoke along
the same line. Assemblyman Sprague
objected TO the bin because would
not accomplish what was desired He
pointed out that most of the mental
detectives who multi piled and in
creased the burden of the state I'm
caring for the unfortunate were not
inmates of asylums. AS the bill APP
piled only 20 inmates of asylums, the
real evil would not be remedied, con.
tended Mr.. Sprague
j. o. Thomas of Racine. who dis
sented from the report of the commit
tee on charitable and penal institu
ons. objected to the bill because.
as he said, the opposite result would
be accomplished from that desired
~ the advocates of the measure. He
declared that T. sterilize inmates Of
asylums would simply encourage
llcentbusness, since the danger OF
pregnancy would he entirely elimin.
ated. Mr.. Reynolds seconded Mr..
Thomas IN this argument. declaring
that this evil OF the law would uIti-
mately spread to those who are not
inmates but who. for immoral pur
poses desired to have the operation
performed.
The opponents Of the measure at
tempted to stigmatize the agitation
in favor of the bill as being a merely
mercenary movement They &C.
cused the advocates Of the measure
Of resting Their entire case on the
proposition Of financial saving to the
state in checking the increase OF
idiocy and imbecility The friends of
the measure resented the accusation
, and scored the opponents for m re-
~ esenLng their stand They desired
to be understood as urging the bill,
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