Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-02-22
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1879
Tn cory and Practice.

ised land from the mountain top,
though he may never descend to the
valley below. His mission is to
explain mysteries by developing
means for their solution. But it
remains for the practical man to
step in at the right juncture, and
make use of the knowledge thus OBJ
tanned. Theories are sometimes fall
iacious, although this may not per Sc
detract from their plausibility. The
theory of Darwin is worthy of the
giant intellect from which it was
evolved. 1t is beautiful, even in
its incomplete symmetry; but the
missing links will probably forever
remain lost, for it is beyond the
power of this or any other practical
age to find their hiding place.
To illustrate further: The theory
of the steam engine is thoroughly
understood. The laws that govern
combustion and generation and the
principles which underlie expansion
of dense body when converted into
steam, are all familiar as the New
England Primer to theorists, hut
that knowledge of the control of this
mighty agent is not a natural Sc
quence is shown by the attempt
made few days ago by an eminent
member of the Academy of Sciences
to start the engine in our press-room
by opening the valve connected with
the pump. His theoretical know
ledge was extensive, but in practical
information he was deficient, unless
he could develope a new theory
whereby the very groundwork, upon
which the engine is based would be
overturned and the water entering
the pump made to impart motion to
its piston, turn the crank and thus
drive the engine. Still this learned
gentleman would take off his hat to
nobody when it came to the elucida-
tion Of a theorem or the discussion
of some abstruse proposition in met
aphysics. Let us take another ex-
ample: The anemometor which Or
naments the roof of the signal Office
is supposed to accurately record the
velocity of ahe wind. Every appli-
ance of skill is brought into requi-
sition to reduce friction to the min
imum point, and so delicately poised
are the revolving parts on their bear
ings that the slightest breath of air
may cause it to operate. Theoretical
~, its record is perfect, and the opera
tor dashes off the atmospheric veloc-
ity at one mile or sixty, to the dis
tant stations, with absolute conf
dence. Practically, however, it is
only approximately correct, the con-
dition <af the Instrument has some
thing,tS do with its record. The
presence of rust or eorrosion in its
delicate parts may render it utter
ly worthless as q wind-measurer
Suppose, to elucidate our position,
that the observer at Portland, should
attend the circus, visit the celebrated
Strassburg Clock, or perform ON the
comet, just at the critical juneture
when the spindle needs drop of
oil, it is plain to be seen that hnr-
rieane might sweep over the country
and he recorded merely as a gentle
zephyr And here the beauties Of
logical sequence appear. Reason
ing fuem cause TO effect, the pres
enee of the great North American
exhibitions or the rendition of a soma
to from Beethoven. might cause a
report to besent in the course of the
storm that would cripple commerce
and dayastate the land. The same
fallibility applies to the weather-vane
which lis always pointing in some di-
rection, even if there is not q
breath OF air stirring. Theoretical
", it indicates the direction the wind
is blowing; practically it is q L" dead
duck" and burlesque on scientific
research.
These examples are, we trust, suf-
Scent to demonstrate our position,
that theories must be proven before
accepted as automatic truths. We
observe that even the theories of an
Edison are not always followed by a
brilliant illumination of the world of
science. There is generally the one
fhinO wnnfiuo lie tha la.k ,..... L.