The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-14
SAVING ouR moon.


sion We wish 10 present to the MEM
sers OF the General Assembly the
claims of class which, pathetic in
itself and for centuries neglected, CON
stitutes a very serious menace TO the
mental health and bodily vigor Of tho
race.
These are our e-minded-"Gods
fools" as our frank old forefathcrs
used to call them. with these unfor-
tunates all or us have been familiar
since childhood The funny old man
and The queer youth, the old crones
who would infest the dumps and wan
der homo mumbliug strange things
these are figures that all OF US recall
But il has only been since science
has been applied TO the study OF the
mind that we have come 20 view these
tlmpic folk more than as pitful.
VS. now realize that the mental
weakness from which the feeble-mlnded
sufer is not, In any appreciable num-
Der OF cases, peculiar 20 the indi-
vidual alone. but is part OF g degen-
erncy which IS In the blood. We have
come TO appreciate the solemn fact that
''as is the mother, so is the daughter
and that from generation to genera
zion mental weakness pursucs these
unfortunates IS an Inherited curse.
Here in Virginia, for example, we
have been able to trace families almost
as miserable as those "Zeros" whose
annals constitute ono of the most re-
markabie books of the day In Vir-
elna county live to-day the children
and grandchildren of . notorious old
man. who. himself the offspring of
Degenerate line, married feeble
plinded woman. OF this un were
born six children, all OF whom suffered
from mental desencracy. one OF those
was the mother OF four chiidre. one q
low grade criminal, confined in Jail At
least twenty times, another n Grip
pied imbeone. the other two. daughters,
both Of low morals and minds. Thus
Tor three generations this mental
weakness has persisted without spar
ing 4 single child of this unhappy
union.
Experience has likewise shown that
tle f.eble-minded are of all the most
prolific. Their children are both many
ard Degenerate. Thus, for instance, in
.tWenty-scven almshouseS OF The State
there are hfty-u!nc feeble minded wom-
zen, the mothers OF IFS chldren-scarce-
~ one of whom Is normal! And some
or these women. in their mental weak
mess and their depravity. have Goen tho
victims OF crimes unspeahable
Noi does the curse stop here. These
500
parents arc constant recruits for our
.lowest class. our criminals and worse.
Even where the operation OF the Men.
sGeiiau law. with one feeble minded par
-ent. produces certain number OF chill
dren who appear normal. these become
the denlzens OF the underworld, the
Criminals and'.lfo. epleptics
or teeU1c iriItded. including all
.tlasses there are now 5000 in tie
state Many Of these are in our aims
houses, many are IN our dives, nun
I, drcas OF them crowd our jans ana add
ITO our army OF drunkards To none
.nf these IS Virginia giving adequate
protection. Calmly wo allow them to
reproduce their kind, and 10 add to the
.number Of these who VIII DC burden
upon the next generation. Quietly and
tpGasively we wait for this mental tain,
- spread through society untn OVER
ecouine the upward tendency Of another
elem ent q poiRons the purity ard sans
The strength Of the race. Brutality ana
cclily. WI permit these unfortunate
women 70 remain unprotected In our
aiiushouses, the prey OF the bnsos, and