The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-07-14

The present year bids fair to be noted
Tor its frequent and violent elemental
disturbances. Cyclones, toynadoes,
heavy and long-continued rains, fol-
lowed by terrible foods, hail-storms,
unreasonable and severe cold and frosts,
nave thus far strewn the path of 1882,
and If all predictions turn out to be cor
rect, the next two months will give
additional variety to the meteorological
programme in the shape of terrific
thunder and lightning showers. What
Is the matter with the powers of the
air? While no new forces seem to be
apparent in this general weather melee.
1t is yet quite eviden. there is an un-
usual combination of forces at work
somewhere. The kaleidoscope of
Nature is revolving rapidly, and sending
her hidden machinery into new po-
sitions and displaying constantly a
succession of fresh and varying phe-
nomena.
BLz high scientific authority declares
that this world, like a huge bead, is
strung upon thread of law, and if this
be so, we must not suspect any element
OF chance or capricious uncertainty in
the regular and orderly movements of
natural forces. Vennor has recently
given out that he bases his observations
and guesses in part on heperiodical re-
currence of certain courses or demon
STATIONS of atmospheric phenomena;
that about once in so often peculiar
seasons appear, and unusual occur
rences take place il earth and sea and
sky, and that by careful study of the
past he is able to predict to some ex-
tent the future. 1t would thus seem
that in the original constitution or ar
rangement of things. uniformity and
regularity were to be the prevailing
rules of all natural movements and
sequences, and in addition to this the
law of variation was also to come in at
stated intervals and modify or inter-
rupt the otherwise monotonous process
sion of events. just as in skillfully
composed piece OF music, there is the
central theme of melody running
through the whole, and then, harmoni-
ously mingling with it, an almost in
finite number of Emergencies and varia-
tions. so in the grand plan of the world,
as revealed in the operations Of the ma
terial universe, there is main chord
of regularity and uniformity visible,
and, coupled with these, any number of
variable and extraordinary divergen-
cies from the usual course.
Many years ago, among the popular
and instructive lectures of the Rev. L.
Starr King-who, as a far-seeing and
subtle thinker, has never had an equal
in this country-was one entitled "Ihe
Laws of Disorder. in which he demon
strated with rare beauty and force the
fact that the most uncertain and appar-
emily capricious of all earthly events
and movements were under the control
of fixed and Interchangeable laws. In
like manner the results of the patient
and protracted studies of all modern
scientific naturalists, like Darwin and
Spencer. 60 to prove that the idea of
unity and uniformity, coupled with the
power of variations, forms one portion
of the ground-plan of the world. This
is seen alike in the perpetuation of spe-
cies or types of animals and vegetable
life, in the movements of history and
the unfolding of civilization, in the re-
currence of natural phenomena and in
the rolling of tie worlds through the in
finite spaces.
1t can thus be seen at a glance how
erroneous are the views of those who
would attribute all the extraordinary oc-
currences of life to the direct interposi-
ton of an unseen and divine hand. The
conception of Creator and Ruler of
this and other worlds sitting on a hid
den throne and hurting thunderbolts at
his own will and pleasure far and near,
as Jove was supposed to do from the
top of Mount Olympus, may be Grecian
and classic, but in the light of ascer-
tanned scientific facts and laws, it can
hardly be called either Christian or civ
ilized.
Another thought in connection with
the working of these terrific natural
forces is, that any new light which can
be thrown upon the times and seasons
which they observe. or the methods and
laws which they follow, would be a
great public benefaction. And to this
end the recent efforts of General Hazen
and the Signal Service corps to observe
more accurately the origin and courses
of tornadoes in the various portions of
this country are worthy of all common
dalton. 1t is not much, at the best,
which can be learned or communicated
concerning these terrific aerial vista
tions, but all that can be known should
be known and distributed broadcast
throughout the sections of country most
liaole to suffer from their desolating
ravages. The recent exhibitions of cy-
clonic power in Iowa and elsewhere
make this subject most pertinent one
at the present time, and call for renewed
activity in the direction which the
Signal Corps has so happily and oppor-
timely marked out Chicago Journal.