New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-08
BIRTH MORE THAN
TRAININC-BURBANK
Scientist Urges Selection
System for Building
Up the Race.

San Francisco, Aug. Only by con-
slant selection of the best can any race
be improved, said Luther Burbank, the
plant specialist, in an address last
night before the second national con-
ference on race betterment. His sub
ject was Evolution and Variation with
the Fundamental Purpose of Sex" DR..
J. ri. Kellogg, of Battle Creek, Mich,
in an address on "Eugenics" said the
world needed new aristocracy made
up OF Apollos and Venuses and their
fortunate progeny"
Environment and education alone can
not, Mr.. Burbank said, make appreciate
progress in the improvement OF the
race. But with favorable surroundings
and the selection of the best types the
field for improvement is limitless.
Abundant, we'll balanced nourish-
ment and thorough culture of plants or
animals" he said, will always produce
good results in holding any species or
variety up to its best hereditary posi-
bilities, beyond which it cannot carry
them and lacking which maximum de-
velopment can never be realized. But
a sharp line must always be drawn be-
tween the transient results temporarily
attained through favorable environ
ment and the permanent results of Sc
lection of the best individuals for con-
tinuing the race.
"Only by constant selection Of the
best can any race ever be improved.
No education, no environment of any
nature can ever make any appreciate
progress, even though these same ia
vorable surroundings may produce
through ages a definite but infinitely
slow increment, which by constant
repetition becomes slowly availabl lie in
heredity, but by no means fixed, so
that reproduction true to the better
type can be depended upon.
at is becoming increasingly neces-
sary to impress the fact that there are
two distinct lines in the improvement
of any race-one by favorable environ
ment, which brings individuals up to
their best possibilities; the other, ten
thousand times more important and eff
fective, selection of the best individuals
through series of generations. BY
this means, and by this only, can any
race Of plants, animals or man be per-
manently or radically improved. When
these two lines of action are combined
all the best qualities of any type are
brought forth and fixed and the field
for improvement is limitless."
DR.. Kellogg said that instead of
building up an aristocracy OF Apollos
and Venuses 1--WE are actually building
up an aristocracy of lunatics, idiots,
paupers and criminals. These unfit
persons" he continued, ALREADY have
reached the proportions of vast mul
titude -50O,O 900 lunatcs, 10000 crimi-
nails, 100000 paupers, 10000 idiots, co.
600 epileptics-and we are supporting
these detectives in idleness like real
aristocrats at an expense of S1OO,OOO,-
900 year. This mighty host of mental
and moral cripples is increasing, due to
unrestricted marriage and other de-
generative influences, at a more rapid
rate than the sounder part of the popu-
lation, so that they are bound in time
TO constitute the majority unless some
check is put upon the increase"
DR.. Kellogg proposed Scheme for
race betterment." This included the
establishment of a "health registry
on which should be recorded the results
Of an annual health inspection of indi.
viduals made by bureau maintained
by the state for the purpose, and OF a
"eugenics registry" to accomplish in
behalf of race hygiene what the health
registry would seek to do for personal
health"