266 THE MEANING OF EVOLUTION 
ber of feeble-minded, who are feeble-minded because 
of their heredity, is dishearteningly and astonishingly 
large. Every attempt to examine large numbers of 
school children shows a sickening proportion of 
those who are distinctly feeble. Every little commu- 
nity seems to have its boy or girl who is what is 
known as silly. Such people rarely live long lives 
without leaving behind them feeble-minded children, 
no small proportion of whom are likely to be ille- 
gitimate. Against this fouling of the stream at its 
source, society must protect itself. Legislators re- 
volt at the somewhat inhuman but certainly safe 
method of surgically preventing the possibility of the 
feeble-minded becoming parents. It would be more 
creditable and just as effective if society would take 
upon itself the tremendously expensive task of caring 
for all its feeble-minded in institutions during their 
entire life. The cost would be large for a genera- 
tion, but would rapidly diminish and eventually be- 
come small. It certainly would be the humane way. 
These people in good institutions are by no means 
unhappy. Within the limit of their capacities they 
can do many things. Wise management usually will 
secure from them labor enough of wholesome and 
simple kind nearly to pay for their own support. 
Nothing could be better for them than to till the 
soil, care for the cattle, tend the chickens, and, in 
