greatest social moment. We must cultivate a little of the patience of God. It is perhaps unfortunate that so much attention from laymen is focused upon this great field of research. The man of science needs to work quietly, patiently, doggedly, without too much thought of so-called practical value to follow from his studies. He is painting the thing as he sees it for the God of things as they are, and he is fortunate, in a way, if he can find a separate star where he may work undisturbed by the too eager interest of the crowd who clamor to know the significance of each brush-stroke.
Shall we then attempt no practical application in eugenics of the little knowledge of inheritance which we have already attained? For myself, I am in doubt. A number of states are making laws for the sterilization of certain undesirable classes, and are making the enforcement of these laws subject to the "expert" advice of a board composed generally of physicians. As a matter of fact there are very few states in this union which have among their citizens men capable of exercising expert judgment in these matters, and these men are not physicians, but biologists engaged in studies of heredity. Furthermore, in but few individual instances are there genealogical inheritance records which can serve as the basis of such expert opinion.
One thing, however, of the greatest practical value we can do. We can promote in every possible way the gathering and safe filing of human inheritance records, which in the future will serve as the foundation of such practise of eugenics as shall prove wise and practical. I can in imagination see the day when the compilation of inheritance data for each citizen will be compulsory, and when the files of these records will be the most valued of all state documents; when no marriage license will be issued except after the most careful scrutiny of the inheritance records of each contracting party by trained students of inheritance; and when the state will debar from marriage those whose children will be a burden to the state. The bearing of children is, of course, not an individual right, but a social privilege, and in time it must come to be so recognized.
With eugenics as our goal, with a hope of ultimately greatly improving the fundamental character of the race, let us cultivate patience, allowing time for the sure grasp of the phenomena and relations in heredity, before attempting by law any but the most limited applications of its principles to human marriage. Let us promote the view that social welfare, not individual comfort, is the ultimate criterion in marriage, and meanwhile let us actively promote the gathering and preserving of inheritance records for all persons, thus providing data for intelligent practise of eugenics in coming generations. We can at once insist upon the gathering of such data for all persons in our state penal institutions, almshouses, hospitals, asylums, etc. I am told that the city
