The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-23
GENIUS NOT TRANSMITTED.

There appears to be a revival IN
some degree, Of the time old discussion
whether or not genius is transmissiblc
The Eatern press is busyiug itself more
or less with this discussion and the
general conclusion arrived at appears
to be that genius is not transmissible,
this on the basis Of the fact that, so
far as human history goes, genius has
not been transmitted, But it by no
means follows that genius is not trans
missible merely because genealogical
records show that genius has not been
transmitted. This question is not 10 be
decided from the data that we have at
hand. We might Just as well assume
that if we were as careless in the
breed of animals as we arc in the
breed Of human beiuas. and should find
the results unsatisfactory, the copclu.
sion ought to be that fine quality aud
points are not transmissibe IN animals.
AS matter OF fact. we find that they
are transmiss,ble with proper care IN
breeding and the selection of pure
blood strains.
Who shall say, therefore, that the
like results would not follow the like
care in selection among mankind7 To
those who may express horror at the
idea Of comparing the breeding of ami.
mails with the breeding of humankind
we will not INSIST too strongly upon
the Identities Of transmission But, we
NAV say that, so far as known, prob
ably the same laws would largely pre-
vail. We know. as a matter OF fact, |
that pccubaritles of families arc trace
able. and where these pecullaritics are
pronounced, whether mental or phys !
through many generations SO far as
this is . proof Of anything. it is |
proof that qualities are trausmissible,
and that with proper selection in mat
rimonv, these qualities. if desirable,
can be accentuatcd, or, if not dcslr
able, eau he bred out.
In the discussion Of this question, a
verv learned doctor recently said that
there WIS no standard which human
being could breed to IN any effort for
qualities, 1t doubtless is true that
there IS no single standard to cover all
the points that might be desired. This
is true also in the breeding Of hue ami.
mails. No one strain, no one breed, suf-
fees for every quality. And so it Il
l. an |
however, we take it that the qualities
primarily desirable of transmission are
soundness, health, aud strength, with
good intellectual development. This
would eliminate in large degree the
of defects, Of bad tend
cDcics, meutal and physical. and would
encourage the transmission Of the best |
qualities Of mankind, OF brain. heart, ,
aud sound physical structure.
The fact that any definite quality Of
nittcd to posterity, no matter how dc
sirable that quality NAV be, is not con
elusive altogether as a proposition that
such transmission is not possible. On [
he contrary. such evidence as wc have I
shows couvinciuglv that the transmits
sion Of qualities is possible. and often ;
S made. But, if such qualities can be
transmitted and arc transmitted under
,ur promlscuous system of perpeluat-
ng the human race. then the vista is I
,pen wide for large possibilities in
nanv directions through careful sclec. ,
ION and the bringing together Of quail.
ties desirable for the getting of the |
iDest offspring, Aud the question will !
never be closed until test on a large |
calc is made. lasting enough time I
thoroughly 10 demonstrate the case.
whether quslitics in human beings, :
'ithcr genius or anything else, is or is
lot transmissible. J