The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-01-16

The recent action of the legislature of Wis
consin in the enactment of the "Eugenic Marriage
Law, has, Judging from the attitude of the peo-
pie and press of the country placed itself open for
just and severe criticism, the opponents of the
measure bringing plenty of reasons for their adj
verse criticisms of the law. That it will tend to
the Encouragement of 1aga1ized marriage is with
out question; this alone is sufficient to
stamp without proper ability and foresight the
trainers of the law. The experience of number
of centuries has been that the legally sanctioned
marriage relation is the most commedable man
ner of the relation of the sexes, and that the ut
most libera1ity should be the policy of any COM
munity toward the granting to the citizenship of
the marital privileges,
The new law of Wisconsin places restrictions
about the consummation of legal marriage that
In the opinion of competent critics, will tend to-
ward the disposition of the states people evade
the marriage rite, thus causing condition in the
Northern state that will not be to the liking of
its citizens who are so enraptured with advanced
mental ecstacy. The wisconsin idea,'' concern
ing which so much has been given the methods of
publicity, in this recent law to have reach
ed the zenith of ,radicallism Without any doubt
the citizens of the state who marriageably in
clined will hesitate to remove themselves from
tn border of the state when a quest of mar
rage license. In this connection, it will be in
teresting observe the difficulties placed across
the path of those who desire the matrimonial
state, and who averse to devotlng the monies
necessary to leaving their state for the securing
of license The doctors of Wisconsin do not
hesitate to suggest that they will refuse to per-
form the physical and mental examinations made
necessary by the law, reciting that they can not
afford to devote their services in that respect for
the small sum, So 90, allowed them by the pro-
visions of the law in question. The ri gor of the
mentioned physical and mental examinations
causes wonder that the advanced legislators did
not incorporate in their pet law provision de-
handing that the morals of the applicants for the
right to marry be by those competent thoroughly
examined. 1t is probable that the strength of
heredity, and this is the plea of the legislators in
support of their law, exercises a stronger force
in the transmission of moral talnts than in either
physical or mental disease. And this phase Of
the question is entirely overlooked.
Rather than the limiting of the inaiienable
rights of the individual in such delicate matters
the Wisconsin solons could probably exercise
themselves in the devotion of their intelligenceS
to the ameoration of conditions Of life in their
state 1t is entirely probable that many cond-
tons in Wisconsin are susceptible to improve
ment.
Any application of the rules of the stock
grower to the masses of humanity can only result
in erievous disappointment The race, while ami
NAL, is yet human, and such should be consider
ed by its legislatng Representatives. 1t is limited
that many of the "Eugenic' faddlstS who must
be responsible for the Wisconsin marriage law
are prone to the same diseases of morality that
are common to those of various walks of life
Common sense and abiding desire to maintain
a mental equilibrium should be demanded of a
legislator