The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-01-13
Scientific Criticisms,

EDITORS GAzErrE:. 1t has been truly
said that 1.-The pen is miyh,ier than the
sword, but unfortunately there is not one
in ten of even our learned college gradu-
ates who know how to use pen so that
it will be brief. pointed and full of knowl
edg,. To become practical gymnast re
Quires a long period Of scientific training
combined with gooa physical stamina.
To become a good common sense writer
requires good "horse sense combined
with special training in m.ntal analysis.
rea on, and scientific knowledge. Sam
ual BDwles, late editor of the Springfield
Mass Republican, and one of New Eng
land'~ most noted editors. once said, that
''the best reporter is the one who has the
longest nose for news" Now the best
correspondent is the one who has the
Longest nose for practical knowledge.
Few writers know how to criticise either
ideas, principles, facts or p; rsons with
good TASTE charity. kindn, IS. tenderness.
love or pOinted.css. The Uest critic is
liz wh..cau Kill, skin and digest errors
w.th0.lt Introducing personalities, and do
it all 50 eIectually. Ilaveriy and consider
ately OF personal Keeling, that the author
Of tue erroneous thought will feel like
embracing him for his trascendent ten
deraes while uprooting his very tender
corns caused by wearing tAc old fashi ned
stock, collars, and shoes of the pa It myth
o.ogical ages, which ar. sure to dwarf,
cramy and pinch the modern wear>rs
We will now try and apply oar ideas of
criticism to our two scientific friends who
assa us so roug..ly in your last issue.
Free and Easy is in error in chasing
US As belonging to the Darwinian school
of tholgnt. We never belonged to that
re .pectable school Of science. Your er-
ror is caused by not recognising the fact
that some of our most prominent men Of
science do not agree with the Darwinian
school in the belief that our remote an
ters cnuld possiUle have sprung from the
"wOodpeckcr. skunk, hog, or monkey ,
Darwin himself never Taught even this,
only as being a probability which was not
proved. Some Of his less noted compeeys
in science has perhaps gone fa; ther and
boldly claimed that saci was mans or
igin. Darwin believes in il first Great
Cause which was evolution as the tools
Of formation.
The other school of science called Evo-
lu.ionists, to which we belong, believes
that evolution in the absolute scn>e is an
imp ,sibility, and in the finite sense it is
simply formation. We believe that indi-
vidualized souls Of spirit. and individual
ICED atoms Of matter never had b-gin-
ming. and in con 'eQ Quence never shall have
an end. The supreme intelligence that co.,
ceives, directs and moulds the countless
/ ytv Of l,o =,
dane but not supernatural. Evolution is
the me!hod but not the cause of all growth
Our friend in lain ng that :GoI c 'ated"
all things, while h. denies sarcas, ically
the idea of evolution rs being "absurd" !"
has conclusively dem ,nstrated to our
mind that h. is not proper scientific
teacher to the school children of Red
wood. Tn. whole universe is unf0lded
th.Olgh evolution, and TO deny il in a
single case. is to impeach the Supreme In
telligence. and destroy the possibility of
demonstrating your own theory. You
have not and cannot produces a sinyl. fact
which cannot be explained scientifically,
unles, you ignore an,l ny nature and
evolution, which are both Gods methods
We were pleased t. hear Mole Gale"
say that he would ''enlighten" u, but
sadly disappointed to find but little knowl-
edge in his answers. His proposal to
kill the cats" would not "cA,nge the
prop nsity of cats to make nj yht hideous,
but it would be only erternin ltioa,
which is no answer ut all to our question
His information that freezing robs vine
gar, whi>key. etc. of their vitality" does
not explain why freezing makes things
sweeter." In like manner he fails to ex-
plain why pounding makes sour apples
sweet His answer on the Library"
QUESTION is incorrect. as we have Tin
enough in Redwood. but the politicians
would rather sq,,ander it in a scramble to
get into Office than in using it for the
common good Of the public. His answer
on the "artesian we'll is incorrect. as a
posted geolOgist could tell before the
'sbore' was made--to great extend at
least Few could even tell after they saw
i the bore completed. and we sincerely
| doubt whether our friend could then,
! Judging from his answers to our questions
His reply to the 'railroad and elevator
/ question is incorrect. as many farmers GO
in and buy stock in railroads. etc. When
farmers are intelligent enough and suffer
enoug, from monOpnlies they will build
| their own railroads and elevators; and
then you will not need to ask "wlly coal
costs 80. 10 in Redwood and only s. at
Bird Island. INQUIRER