II.—OBJECTS. That the objects of this Society be:— 1. To spread among the people, by all practicable means, a knowledge of the law of population, of its consequences, and of its bearing upon human conduct and morals. 2. To urge upon the medical profession in general, and upon hospitals and public medical authorities in particular, the duty of giving instruction in hygienic contraceptive methods to all married people who desire to limit their families, or who are in any way unfit for parenthood; and to take any other steps which may be considered desirable for the provision of such instruction. III.—PRINCIPLES. 1. “That population (unless consciously and sufficiently controlled) has a constant tendency to increase beyond the means of subsistence.” 2. That the checks which counteract this tendency are resolvable into positive or life-destroying, and prudential or birth-restricting. 3. That the positive or life-destroying checks comprehend the premature death of children and adults by disease, starvation, war, and infanticide. 4. That the prudential or birth-restricting check consists in the limitation of offspring (1) by abstention from or postponement of marriage, or (2) by prudence after marriage. 5. That prolonged postponement of marriage—as advocated by Malthus—is not only productive of much unhappiness, but is also a potent cause of sexual vice and disease. Early marriage, on the contrary, tends to ensure sexual purity, domestic comfort, social happiness and individual health; but it is a grave social offence for men and women to bring into the world more children than they can adequately house, feed, clothe, and educate. 6. That over-population is the most fruitful source of pauperism, ignorance, crime, and disease. 7. That it is of great importance that those afflicted with hereditary disease, or who are otherwise plainly incapable of producing or rearing physically, intellectually and morally satisfactory children, should not become parents. 8. That the full and open discussion of the Population Question in all its necessary aspects is a matter of vital moment to Society. It has been the object of this organization during these years to carry on the theoretical propaganda of Birth Control mainly among the educators, consisting of clergymen, physicians, scientists, sociologists, economists and others who in turn would form a strong, reliable public opinion who would force the dissemination of practical information among that element of society who are propagating the diseased and unfit. It is only within the last few years that this League has begun to distribute information to prevent conception. Thousands of copies of this leaflet have been distributed in nearly every country throughout the civilized world except _The United States of America_ where laws prevent its circulation. PRACTICAL METHODS OF FAMILY LIMITATION