38 



A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. 



[Chap. 1. 



The following document speaks for itself:- 



This is a somewhat delicate — some would say " improper" — subject 

 to write about. But as John Stuart Mills says, somewhere, " diseases 

 of a moral nature should be plainly discussed in the same way as bodily 

 complaints." 



The county of Banfishire seems to share with the county of Lancaster 

 in the uuenvijible position of a high illegitimate birth-rate. Mr. 

 Cramond, of Cullen, shows that 30 years ago the illegitimate births in 

 Banffshire were 16 per cent., and that they are 16 per cent. stiU. 

 Sixty years ago the illegitimate births in Alston were 33 per cent. 

 To-day they are only 5 per cent. We think a great responsibility 

 rests on the clergymen of aU denominations and other teachers of the 

 people in this district for the lack of moral courage in not speaking 

 out plainly on this subject. The low tone of morality prevalent on 

 this subject, the overcrowding in the homes of the people,^ the want of 

 interest shown by employers in the welfare of their servants are the 

 causes to-daj', as they were 60 years ago, of the high illegitimate birth 

 rate. Then the clergy, landowners, and employers were responsible for 

 the evil. Now the people themselves have the remedy to a large 

 extent in their own hands. It will be their own fault if the causes 

 which are so hostile to their moral progress continue to exist. 



'It is notorious that it was a fairly 

 general custom for engaged couples 

 amongst the working classes in this 

 district to wait until just before or just 

 after the birth of their first child before 

 going through the form of marriage. 



"Surely it is only necessary to state 

 the following fact to ensure its condem- 



nation as scandalous : — Over one-half of 

 the houses in Longridge are provided 

 with no more than two bedrooms. Land 

 is cheap, and rates are higli ; the moral 

 and sanitary condition of the people is 

 apparently only a secondary considera- 

 tion. 



