XLVIII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
pointed out that philanthropic measures are not always foreseeing. 
The prevention of child-labour in factories, very desirable in itself, 
places in competition childless couples with those who have families 
to provide for. The child formerly a pecuniary asset, becomes a 
burden. 
One of the most important propositions which result from the 
consideration of eugenic principles is the regulation of marriage by 
the State—investigation by qualified State physicians of the “fitness” 
of those who desire to enter the married condition and exclusion from 
marriage of notorious drunkards, incorrigible criminals, the feeble- 
minded and other unfit persons who come under the cognizance of the : 
State. Nuttall has expressed the belief that feeble-mindedness could 
be stamped out in two generations if the State made up its mind to 
stop the perennial flow of the strain of the unfit into national life. 
But the seclusion of all defectives and similar propositions evidently 
involve a limitation of personal liberty in the interest of future genera- 
tions which presupposes much higher conceptions of duty towards 
them than ordinarily exists. 
Although Eugenics can hardly be said so far to come within the 
sphere of practical politics, there appear to me to be some lessons to 
be learned from studies of heredity which are of urgent import to a 
country like Canada, emigration to which has now attained such mag- 
nitude. Surely it is the duty of the State to ascertain with the greatest 
accuracy possible the quality of those whom it is going to admit to 
citizenship. Perhaps we may look forward to a staff of specially 
trained health-officers at the various ports of departure from the Old 
World who will submit intending emigrants to a more searching ex- 
amination than is now enforced. 
Another consideration is that Canada will soon be an immense 
experimental ground in miscegenation, so various are the elements 
of our new population. Some authorities consider such experiments 
hazardous, and in this Dominion of the British Empire there can be 
no question about the desirability of fostering as far as possible immi- 
gration of a high quality from the British Isles and Northern Europe. 
Doubtless the rise and fall of nations may be attributed to very different 
causes in different cases; but some of the causes of decadence may 
undoubtedly be counteracted by the judicious application of sound 
eugenic principles, and any nation will do well to give these serious 
consideration. 
