EUGENICS THE FUTURE OF MAN 



Endogamy has been sanctioned by religion and 

 enforced by law in all ages and in all parts of the 

 world. Similarly exogamy the duty enforced by 

 custom, religion, and law of marrying outside one s 

 own tribe is, or has been, as widely spread 

 as the opposite rule of endogamy. The primitive 

 Australian, again, submits to marriage restrictions 

 still more grievous. The tyranny of taboo need 

 only be mentioned. Then, again, every one, in 

 all times, has submitted to the restriction of pro 

 hibited degrees in matrimony. The Roman Cath 

 olic may not even marry a third cousin, and 

 marriages of first cousins are discouraged, though 

 the evidence that they tend to racial deteriora 

 tion is practically nil. Custom, also, is the main 

 factor in producing our objection to incest. In 

 truth, this supposed irresistible, incoercible, all- 

 devouring passion of love can scarcely arise when 

 religion or custom or law, or all three combined, 

 tend to render its consummation by marriage 

 impracticable. Lastly, we have the dictates of 

 religion as to celibacy. When eugenics is incor 

 porated into the national conscience and has 

 become, as well it may, an integral part of our 

 religion, the duty of celibacy may well be enforced 

 upon those whose progeny are palpably likely to 

 be a burden to themselves and the community. 



At any rate, if ever an objection was widely 

 and finally disposed of, it is so with the objection 

 that eugenics is impracticable because no one will 

 tolerate any interference with his or her matri- 



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