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Show A SCOFFER AT EUGENICS Perusal of tho report of the proceedings pro-ceedings of the Eugenic congress he'd In London some time ago leaves a lingering doubt upon one's mind ns to whether the eugenic movement Is a fad or tbo dawn of a now science, sci-ence, with tho pendulum swinging more strongly In tho direction of tho former. Ono physician, who spoke laid down tbo general proposition thnt all children aro well born, nnd thnt tho renson why so many peoplo peo-plo arc physical nnd moral falluros is to bo found In tho environments In which they grow up using tho term environment In Its widest senses ns signifying nil tho cl cumstnnces Bur-rounding Bur-rounding their childhood. Replying to tho claim put forward by some peoplo that there is n class which Is nnturally criminal, this physician denied It absolutely. Ho made the Komowhnt startling stntement thnt the fact that men In tho lowest grades of society become criminal is a sign thnt there Is In them that which rovolts against the baseness of their surroundings a spirit which if rightly directed, might mnke them nluablo members of tho community. As fnr ns heredity goes, this doctor Is of the same mind as a former Canadian minister wns on another '"t, when ho remarked: "Mr. Speaker: There ain't nothln' to It!" He says we may search. In vain In the family history of Napoleon and omo others he named for any Indication Indi-cation thnt they Inherited the qualities quali-ties that made them great, and for any proof that they transmitted their greatness. All this, wo fancy, was Just what thj cugcnlsts did not want to hear. We suppose tho (ruth of tho matter is that the subject Is one upon which a great doal can be said from both points of view; but can all safely subscrlbo to the doctor's doc-tor's statement that It matters n good deal more how children aro treated after they aro born than It does how they como to bo born. Victoria Dally Colonist. |
