Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/641

 NOTES AND ABSTRACTS 627

they have entailed poverty poverty which they cannot remedy now. This social philosophy legitimatizes such things. It further assumes that the individual is respon- sible for himself and his family without noticing whether or not he is capable rather it assumes that every man can rise to any point. That the whole thing is a question of moral character. It does not recognize the fact that not all can be first, neither does it see that moral character is dependent uopn economic and social condi- tions. It does not see this and consequently reverses the progressive movement. Character is first with charity workers, while environment must be first in point of time. In preaching this doctrine they have hindered all economic and social reform. J. A. HOBSON in Contemporary Review ', November 1896.

Feeble-mindedness as an Inheritance. A study of feeble-mindedness was made in 248 families containing 887 members. In 101 of these families containing 447 persons, feeble-mindedness was found in more than the one generation. In the remaining 147 families containing 440 persons, it was found in the one, the present, generation only. Of the 447 persons, 359 or 80 per cent, were feeble-minded. Of the 440 persons, 203 or 46.1 per cent, were found so. So far as we are justified in drawing any conclusions from this, we must draw the conclusion that feeble-mindedness is inherited and that much of it is due to inheritance. Abnormalities, such as blindness, deaf-mutism, etc., were found to be several times as frequent in these 248 families as in the general population. Of the 887 persons, 186 were found to have been of illegiti- mate birth. So by permitting the feeble-minded to reproduce, we are not only increas- ing their number, but we are also increasing the number of abnormals and illegitimates. There are now 95,000 feeble-minded in the United States, of which only 6000 are in institutions for their special care. Something can and must be done to stop the repro- duction of this class. And when this is done, we believe those remaining will be rela- tively few. ERNEST BICKNELL in the National Bulletin of Charities and Correction, November 1896.

Recent Economic and Social Legislation in the United States. In recent years a wave of conservatism has passed over state legislatures. The only exception is in regard to economic and social legislation, particularly that in the interest of the laboring class. So far as the national legislature has departed from the laissez faire policy, it has done so in the interest of morality, of order, or of the laboring class. Throughout the South and West there is a tendency on the part of the courts to apply constitutional checks to extreme legislation. In New England alone, where there has been no disorder or extreme legislation, have the courts been slow in applying consti- tutional checks. Now nearly all labor legislation is in danger of falling under consti- tutional prohibitions. Nearly half of such legislation in the last ten years has been questioned by the courts. Except in the recent campaign, no court has been attacked for such decisions. The principle which such legislation contravenes is that of free- dom of contract. This principle has no constitutional warrant, and is not recognized in England except as a general policy to influence legislators. The past year contains few examples of concrete social legislation, partly because the popular mind is in a spirit of reaction owing to the economic depression and the riots of 1893-4, and partly because most of the legislatures did not meet. Only fourteen legislatures had regular sessions. Their social legislation has mainly been limited to laws concerning fort- nightly payment of wages, hours of labor in certain occupations, priority of Icjjal claims given to laborers as against their debtors, etc. In 1889-90, of 1192 "imp utes, 17 reasserted individualistic principles, 342 embodied socialistic principh dealt with general law matters ; the percentage of socialistic legislation being greatest in the states around Kansas and Nebraska. F. J. STIMSON, Yale Review, Novem- ber 1896. 1.

Recent Legislation in England. The conciliation act was passed pr. that any board of conciliation may apply to the Board of Trade for registration. Die- Board of Trade is authorized to take steps to bring parties together where they :<> no! seem to be coming to an agreement, or even where a difficulty is threatened. Concil- iation boards may be established for given districts or trades. The Board of Trade is