Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-31
BALDWIN STANDS
FOR EUGENIC LAW
Governor Tells Congregational
Council Marriage Should Be
Restricted.
BARS IDEA OF LOBBYING
Holds Efforts of Church Must Be Ac-
eompIished in Formation of In
diVidual Character.

Kansas City, Mo-. Oct. s1.-A plea
for eugenic marriage was made in the
course of an address on The Respon-
sibilities of Jne Church Respecting
Marriages delivered here today be-
fore tbc national council of Congrega-
tional churches by Governor Simeon
Z. Baldwin of Connecticut The sneak
er urged the enactment by the various
states OF legislation which will enable
ministers of religion TO determine
whether or not parties to the marriage
contract are fit before they perform
the ceremony. He thought it time that
ministers ceased to marry couples
without any knowledge of their fit
ness, but he did not believe that in
order to prevent such marriages the
church should attempt TO influence
legislation. He thought that in this
respect the Roman Catholic church
had the right idea.
at contends itself mainly with look
ing after the individual" he said, 'and
in laying down rules for its own mem
bers, as to matter of religion; not in
trying to get them to work for rules
TO govern the conduct of others.
ut does not seem TO me the duty
of the churches as such, or of their
members, as such. to urge upon leg.
islatures the improvement of our mar.
riage laws. The efforts of the church
for the betterment of society are to
2 hn accommodates 80
in the formation and reformation OF
| individual character. 1t has ofte'
/ been wrong in trying to extend. in this
direction or in that the domain o.
statute law. In one generation it has
not infrequentlt thus built up what in
the next generation it has striven to
pull down"
SHOULD KNOW CONDITIONS.
( After quoting statistics anu 1er1ew
ing the awful consequences of mar
riage between persons wholly unfit
TO bring healthy children into the
world, the speaker said that some
method ought to be devised whereby
the minister can learn of these condi
tons and refusing TO perform the Ger
emony. inform the parents of either
party of the danger.
The minister can hardly himseli
institute or directs an inquiry" said
Governor Baldwin. He can, however
decline to perform the ceremony, I'm
less he personally knows the parties
well, or is satisfied that the woman OF
her friends have made proper in
vestigaton. Certainly he should new
er perform it for those whom he knows
to he unfit to enter into the new rela
ton"
Contrasting the practice in this re
spect between ancient and modern
times, the speaker said:
1T often happens that hasty mar
riage is agreed on in a state wher,
a previous notice of some days is re
! CURED, and has not, perhaps cannot
be given. 4 trip 10 another state, i
such a case ought not, ordinarily, Il
be suffered to work an evasion Of tn
home law.
THE Protestant churches, in refus
ing to recognize marriage as a sacra
ment, have left their ministers a fire.
hand as long as they keep within tn
law of the jurisdiction. Where eithe
party to d divorce is, under the deere
of the court, disqualified from marry
ing again during the life Of the other
an attempt to do so, whether in tn
state granting the divorce, or else