The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-14
BY Prof. Roswell Hill Johnson,
Of The University Of Pittsburgh, Pa.
lin an Address Before the National Conference
on Race Betterment.)

on Race Betterment.)
n n ARRIAGE selection in man has one
VI sharp distinction from that In the in
ferior species. In the latter, because
OF the larger role OF instinct and the lesser role
OF social regulation and judgment, nearly all
the individuals mate There are very few un.
mated females and very few minated males.
except in species having severe male combat
when matelessness is the result OF defeat
Where combat prevails, the main result of mar.
rage selection is to cause a disparity Of size
and strength between the sexes and to accentu.
ate bodily weapons, such as horns canine
teeth, spurs and the like
Since the disparity OF size and strength be-
tween the sexes in man is no greater than that
In the anthropoid apes. there is no evidence
That male combat played large role in the
dawn-lnan. Indeed. the great reduction OF the
canine teeth indicates that combat has played
smaller role as time has passed. and FORUM
ately
Marriage selection In primitive man, as soon
as individual combat reduced, operated
very slightly. II unaided. Thus in warfare, the
males OF the defeated tribes were frequently
Killed Killed and the females taken as additional
wives. Or. even when all eventually mated.
some. who possessed specially desirable
characteristic TO higher degree. were chosen
earlier and thereby had more progeny or they
were chosen by the superior. whose progeny
would in some cases inherit a greater viabiIity.
1t Is very probable that many OF our esthetio
which difficult to account for by lethal
selection. have been produced by marriage
selection.
In modern man we have the contrast of an
unprecedented number OF minated individuals.
This condition has developed with the growth
OF romantic love, which Is the exclusive pref
for a very long period for one mate
all Others AS Finck has pointed out. this
has been very much accumulated from the time
OF Petrarch on.
Now If these minated individuals differ from
tho others in any important respect. marriage
selection is very important. Or if we can alter
the percentage of the minated in different
classes. marriage selection may become very
potent.
1t Is obvious that the innately mediocre indI.
viduas are most numerous. and that both the
markedly superior and inferior by nature
far less common. mean by superior those who
are individually happier and socially more use
full than the average The mental Characters.
tics at least in such category, are too com.
pick for a unit character treatment, II
such superiority Is built up by unit character.
istics.
We must consider then what causes the fall.
ure to mate and what is the quality OF each Of
these classes. Taking the men we have:
/. An unwillingness to submit to the
Btraints OF marriage.
2. Infection by disease.
3. Pessimism in regard to women.
4. Deficiency in normal feeling or perversion.
5. Deficiency OF one kind another causing
difficulty In getting acceptable mate.
The persons in these five groups are, as
class, inferior. This inferiority is in part In
nate and in part the result OF bad environment
But since innate inferiority is frequently
large factor we can conclude that the group
whole will average innatey inferior.
Then there are two other classes. largely
superior by nature:
6. Those who seek some other end ardent
ly that they will not make the necessary sacri.
fee In money and freedom to marry.
z. Those whose likelihood of early marriage
IS reduced by a prolonged education and ap-
premiership.
We see that the action OF marriage selection
in regard to males while favorable in some
ways. is in great need Of improvement. Such
efforts may be made along three lines
I. Try to lead all young men to avoid loose
life. A general effort will be needed more by
the superior than by the inferior
2. Hold up the role Of husband and father
particularly honorable. and proclaim It's