Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-26

That this chance is allowed to run
most unbridled among the unintelli.
gent and among the so.called degener-
ate, we can readily see that defective
strains must increase more rapidly
than do the normal and perfect traits.
AS nearly as can be learned from
the U. S. Census and other, sources,
nearly ! per cent Of the population Of
the United States are held in custody
in public and private institutions. An
other 3 or 4 per cent equally defective
and by rights deserving of constraint,
are at liberty and reproducing without
restraint. Still another 4 or 5 per
cent, more or less, are on the border
line with just enough will power and
conscience to avoid crime and mis-
CHIEF, but endowed with a defective
germplasm, and therefore unfit to be
parents. These types make. u2 the
approximate 10 per cent who are a
handicap, economically and socially,
to the progress and happiness OF the
other 80 per cent. @sF
In the United States there are at
present about one-half million insane,
feeble.minded, epileptics, and kindred
detectives; $4,000 prisoners; and 1OO,-
900 paupers, all Kept at public expense.
The cost of caring for these amounts
to more than 800, 5000. zoo a year. II.
this misery and this expense were
caused by some new. preventable d.
sease, it is safe to say that a u%nivers-
al agitation for relief would be prompt
and eticacious. But the world has
locked on deficiency and crime for
such a long time that We have become
accustomed to the idea that prisons
and asylums are necessary evils, and
that they will remain so. There is
now no doubt in the minds of those
who have given this subject close
study, that an era is rapidly coming
when criminal, insane, and defective
traits generally shall be under as good
official control as, for instance, diph.
liberia or typhoid fever.
The purpose Of Eugenics is to pre-.
vent the propagation of the unfit and
to encourage a more reasonable selec.
ton OF mates among those who are
tit to have offspring. We shall not live
to see the fulfillment, nor many Of the
fruits of this plan, but we are forum.
ate to have lived to see the introduc-
ton of a study, the ultimate results
from which, we a only surmise. 1t
Will mean a more perfect human race,
a healthier, happier, and more capable
man, and the absence of the inherited
taints which fill i prisons, reforma!
tories aud asylums and cause them to
overflow with tragedy and pain. In
this every sympathetic man and wo.
man must feel interested.
In order to cut off the supply of hui
man detectives and degenerates, sey-i
eral methods have been proposed. All
merit a close study, though each has
it's u%nfavorable as we'll as commend
able features. Among these methods |
are the following:
and care of the state, during the re.
productive period of life.
2. Sexual STERILIZATION Of all de-.
fectives.
8. Restrictive marriage laws.
4. rEugenic education.
5. A system of mating to remove
defective traits.
s. General environment betterment
also termed Eutbenics.
Z. Polygamy.
8. Euthanasia, or a merciful death
for the incurable.
8. Ne0.Malthusian doctrine,
10. Laissez.faire.
While segregation undoubtedly
would be very effective, 1t meets with
The pr0hibitive expense of mainten-
ance in any state or nation. Besides,
t would seem cruel and inhuman to
'etain all mentally deficient; impris-
,ed for life for no other crime than
he possible danger Of reproduction.
Restrictive marriage laws form an
important and valuable aid in this
but the topic is too wide
or discussion in this paper. To be
Effective. it can readily be seen that
here must be a uniformity OF such
avs In the various states and coun.
ries.
Scientific mating would no doubt re-
many defective traits, but 1t
would not be Of use for those who are