The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1916-08-17
AEugenic Marriage
Proposal
BY F. A. Mitchell

Henry Opdyke had graduated at the
head Of his class at Brown, and
| Margaret Shelton had occupied the
same position at the commencement
exercises at Smith. Both took prizes
for scientific essays.
"Im almost sorry" she said, that
I went to college,"
"Why SOP
"Well, before entering l had some
pride in myself as u human being. I
regarded our species q little lower than
the angels Now I know that l am
merely a fertilization Of atoms, built
to resist an enemy of microbes"
You mean various microbic en-
cmies."
"Yes."
But you don't wish to be conquered
by any Of these armies, 1 suppose"
mo, l don't"
IF VIC are to consider ourselves forti-
fications we may take a certain inter-
est in ourselves Al such. We are
links in an endless chain of human
beings. Our ancestors ages ago began
to fight microbes that we might exist
in our present shape; a shape superior
to theirs. Should one not be inter-
csted, indeed should it not be our duty
to take measures that u descendants
should be superior to us? Certainly not
inferior?"
You mean in a eugenic sense?"
SJ,> ,>o, ols,f zl,~.11 .--S =
predisposition to crime"
GLOW can he, since he Is nothing
more than what his molecules have
made him?"
Granted. Is it not her his duty as
Il molecular fertilization to strengthen
the weak spots in his descendants?"
II presume so. But how can he do
this without reducing himself to the
level Of stock farm principles"
"He may still be a climber to greater
heights. Are not morals and intellect
hereditary?'
She admitted this, and he went on:
Marriage based upon love alone is
not conducive to an advancing condi-
ton Of a race. Take a hundred such
cases and compare them with as many
based on a monetary provision for a
family, good health on both sides and
normal intellect Oh the part of the IA
ther'-
And mother"
Comparing the descendants Of the
first with the second hundred marriages
one gets very different results. Those Of
the first are much inferior to those Of
the second"
but the romance, or, rather, the alb.
sence Of it,"
Romance is an unimportant, evanes-
cent condition. Take our alma ma
ter. Can II get a better education
IN Dartmouth or Wellesley than at
Brown or Smith because the former
have high sounding names?"
Nevertheless l have wished that
Miss Smith, who founded my alma ma
ter, had been Miss Cholmondeley."
at would not have helped the matter.
The students would have called the col
lege Chumley. And if Nicholas Brown
had been Taliaferro the boys would
have shouted for Tolifer."
And yet would not your illustration
have been as effective In the words, "A
rose by any other name would smell as
SWEET"
True. And what I am about to say
to YOU has been said more beautifully
by many Il lover than 1 shall say it.
But should remember that the lover
may have been scrofulous and the lady
of his love had a weak heart"
couldn't YOU name a defect, leaving
out the heart entirely?'
Il could, but YOU and I act our parts
i'll an age when the world has awaken
ed to the fact that science is a better
presiding deity on engagements than
cupid. Marriages have been made for
various reasons beside love. l am
thankful that I live in a period where
IN science Is preparing the way for a
race OF beings far superior to any the
world has known"
~ II l suppose a lovers proposal to
a maiden will nc longer be foreshadow-
eel by gifts Of lovely fowers?"
Instead, he will ask for a list of dis
eases hereditary in her family, and
upon receiving it will furnish a list Of
lHoSe Ill his own blood"
rs there to be no expression Of af-
fection"
Not until the catalogue Of diseases
mas been examined by the physicians
OF both families, and it has been de-
clded that in this and all other re-
spects Il marriage would not be to de-
ter1orate but to elevate the race. When
all is settled transports will be in or
der"
II see. If the transports came first.
III case the physicians report was adj
verse, the lovers would need to be un-
transported"
Exactly"
There was silence between them for
a time, when he added:
May be honored by permission to
call upon your family physician for an
exchange of pedigreesT"
'Thic fc xory o,,lA>-