Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-14
Or. w. E. Taylor Makes Strong Ad-
dress at WatertoWn Session on
Spread of Insanity
FAvoRs STRIcTER LAWS
Effect of Lax Marriage Regulation on
Insanity Increase Shown-NeW
Officers Are Named.

A number 7rof important subjects
were given consideration in the reso-
lutions of the state conference of
charities at the closing session at
WATERFOWL yesterday. Among other
rings the state was urged to estab-
lish more strict marriage laws, with
a view to preventing the spread of in
sanity and other diseases.
DR.. w. E. Taylor, superintendent OF
the Watertown hospital, brought UP
this matter in his address of welcome.
After extending to the delegates a
welcome to WATERFOWL, DR.. Taylor
spoke, in part, as follows:
''The time is coming-yes, the time
is here, when all citizens should
awaken to The fact that society, pros
perity and perpetuity of strong phys
| ioal and intellectual race will not en-
dure unless greater heed is paid to
| me causes of infirmities, as well as to
| the care of those afflicted.
| To-day we have approximately H.
800 insane IN the public hospitals in
Illinois, and we have approximately
1900 insane in our almshouses. a
large number of these are insane from
hereditary causes, and are practically
! incurable, and each year the number
| increases at an alarming ratio.
What Is Society Doing:
| Let me ask you very important
question: What is society doing 10
lessen the number? What laws have
teen enacted to prevent or stop the i'll
c! ease? Consanguineous marriages
are permitted. and the fruits of such
iu1ions are our patients: the marriage
Of those mentally afflicted, and those
who bear the tainted germs of their
ancestors, add to the fast increasing
stream which necessitates additions to
oul hospitals each year. The para.
noia is the child of faint. and science
turns a deaf ear to the Cry for mercy
The drunkart and the moral degene-.
: sie bear the unfortunate fruit that
, charity must care for if they receive
care at ALL Until legal heroic meas
hres are resorted to, you with your
', Oest efforts will not be able to lessen
: ~ even stay the tide which threatens
: society today. We must clear tna
; source first of mud if we expect "a
!, nave a clear stream.
Marriages Are Wrong.
I'VE have today in our penal and re-
foTmatory institutions approximately
1850; we have in our charitable pub
iIo ZONES fo- dependents approximate
" 5000: we have in the almshouses
exclusive of the insane. about G000;
;, in our county jails about 1,500. The de
: pendent children cared for in homes
are numbered by the thousands. The
money invested in real estate neces
sary to care for these people amounts
: 10 care for them is about $4,000, 600
exclusive of clothing and court costs
. Or in other words, from reliable stats
tics, it costs the taxpayers from S100,
r G0o 900 to S15C, 100000 to care for thes,
! public charges until they are dis
charged or die.
n rs it not time that the delicate
sense which upholds the majesty o
y the inherent law of marriage rites b
IT b:;ghted when such unions produc
d TENTS TO burden society. impoverisl
n treasures and debilitate the race?
oi strike mt Root of Evil.
Il know you are anxious in your ei
, forts TO devise the best ways am
&c means to care for victims of inherite
ie anG acquired infirmities. and 1900
IL carts throb with gratitude becaus
CONTINUED on Page Seven.)