CONCLUSION 215 



of its governors. For us, with our different ethical 

 standards, the old methods are impossible. We must 

 attain the same result by the longer, gentler system of 

 perpetual segregation in detention colonies, with all the 

 mitigations that are practicable. 



If any doubt should arise how far it is justifiable 

 thus to safeguard the future of the race, let us remember 

 that the higher stai^dards of the better classes in matters 

 of hygiene, education, etc. have already been enforced 

 sternly on all, where the good of the community is 

 involved. If compulsion of this sort be right in small 

 things, immeasurably more so is it in great. The 

 inborn physical, mental, and moral welfare of the people 

 is better worth securing than a superficial cleanliness. 

 The old saying that prevention is better than cure 

 takes a new and vivid meaning in the light of our 

 knowledge of heredity. 



So far we are ready to go, in preventing by legisla- 

 tion the growth of undesirable elements in the com- 

 munity. To favour the increase of good stocks is a 

 more difficult problem. 



At present the possibilities of legislative action are 

 small, and seem to be confined to an attempt to lighten 

 some of the burdens that fall specially on fathers of 

 families. In this present year, 1909, the Treasury has 

 made a beginning, and discriminated in the incidence 

 of income tax on small incomes in favour of parents. 

 This action might safely go much farther, and some 

 such scheme as that suggested in the last chapter might 

 exempt from income tax all money spent in maintain- 

 ing and educating a family — a proceeding which, at the 



