New-York tribune., 1911-12-17
STER|UTY AND CRIME
Results Expected from Jerseys
New Law.
BY 6. Elliot Flint.

The recent announcement by Governor
Uuson of the members of the commission
nrovided for in the STERILIZATION bill. which
was passed at the last session OF the Ne"
Jersey legislature has raised storm OF
,nd,snant nrotest from we'll disposed but
perhaps not so well lntormed Pe's0"'
throughout the country.
These members, who, the bill stipulates'
shall serve ex-officio, are George o. Us
horne. head keeper OF the New Jersey state
Prison; Or. Frank Moore, superintendent
Of the Railway Reformatory, and Dr'
George 3. Wight, Commissioner OF Chari-
ties and correction. In addition the Gov
ernor has named as two other members Ut
Henry ID. Costnl. OF Trenton, and Dr.
alexander Marcy. jr.. OF Burlington the
term Of the former being for three years
and that of the latter for FIVE years
The bill provides for the sterilization OF
au insane criminals. idiots and other de-
fectives male and female, who, In the
Judgment Of the commission. should be re-
strained from propagating their kind.
This extraordinary enactment was due
almost wholly TO the persistent and sys-
ittmatic efforts of the members of the Ma
tional Christian league for Promotion OF
lPurity. of which able organization Mrs'
Elizabeth B. Grannis is the leading spirit
as well as the president Mrs Grannis sue
ceeded I'm having a similar law passed IN
Indiana six years ago and in Connecticut
three years ago. A sterilization law is no"
operative in Iowa also, and Mrs. Granns
hopes and believes this mercy TO the race
will soon extend TO every state in the Union.
Yet objections 10 the law have been heard
from many quarters. First. il was alleged
that such treatment in the case OF idiots
rnd detectives would be cruel and unusual
punishment. But Or. II. e. Sharp, ply
slcian 10 the Indiana Reformatory, states
that in order 10 sterilze a man II is neces-
sary only to ligate (tie) and to resect (cut
cuU a small portion Of the vas deferens.
The operation he declares to be so' slight
that IL is performed without the use of
either a general or n local anasthetic in
three minutes time. when the subject re-
turns TO his work suffers no Inconvenience.
end is in no way impaired for his pursuit
Of life. liberty and happiness"
That the operation is unnecessary. segre-
CATION OF habitual criminals being all that
IS required is also refuted by Dr. Sharp
and by DIR. ]. n. Hurty, state secretary Of
the lnOldna BOdIu bl iltdAtiis WIN bONI
aver that the degenerate class is increasing
out Of all proportion TO the increase Of the
general population, shown by the ever
growing demands for the charging Of the
Institutions we have and for the erection Of
new institutions for the detention Of this
class when by simply sterlizing instead Of
segregating the hOpelessly criminal great
expense TO the state would be saved.
Then these physicians remind us Of the
many thousands OF dollars and years Of
time We have spent in advancing the best
methods Of breeding livestock to enrich the
resources of our country. and Of how very
little comparatively We have. done in the
way Of providing a means by which we
NAV beget none but sound offspring. and
thus establish a nation physically and
mentally strong; and they add that for this
condition TO go on unchecked means event
ually O weakening OF the entire nation. As
Herbert Spencer has well said: ITO be a
9ood animal is the first requisite TO success
in life. and 10 be a nation OF good ami
mals is the first condition to national pros
perity."
Most Of the insane, the epileptic, the i'm