Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-19
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Altru-
Ism,

IT is not q pleasant reflection that the
law OF the survival OF the iittest bas re-
suited in peopling the earth with three
hundred and fifty millions OF Chinese,
and other hundreds Of millions OF people
OF the inferior races. Nevertheless tao
scientists as body accept that law as the
settled law OF tue world. The American
Association for the Advancement OF
Science began its sessions in Cleveland
several days ago. Among the papers
read before that body we have seen not
one which questioned the existence OF
the law aforesaid. In emphasizing his
declaration OF his belief in it Professor
G. V. Riley used the following strong
language, which We commend to the
consideration of our neighbor OF the
Central Presbyterian:
"There is undoubted graduation from
| simple CONSTITUENCIES and yolition to the
moro complex instructive and reasoning
| faculties Of higher animals. The con-
sensus Of opinion OF biologists who have
given tho subject any serious conHdera-
ton is that animals exhibit all our men
| tai endowments in degree. They pos
sess oil tue attributes of the human intel
lect more or less perfectly developed, and
there should DO DO more doubt OF the
gradual evolution Of mans intellect from
pre-existing lower and simpler forms OF
aggregate mind than there Is OF the
derivation OF his more complex and
powerful brain (the medium OF mlnd)
! from smaller and simpler brains, or Of his
body from simpler, less specialized
forms. Evolution logically involves the
! idea of the originatiOR OF life from the
inorganic forces at work on our globe,
and only in this sense does 1t modify our
conception OK the creature. The one
viyifving force in nature must be an end
/ less source OF power and movement with
the potency Of oil that Is IN what We call
| the universe. Art and plan being mani
fest therein the power must be lntelll-
gent, aud we can compare WITH nothing
more satisfactorily than with our own
J coDscious thinEing-power, whether We
call it soul, spirit, the absolute, the crea-
tor, the divine mind, God, or 10y whatever
term We choose to express the conception.
| We have thus been led while considering
the causes OF evolution TO the conviction
that they are in the end referable TO sn
infinite first cause, and that evolution Ia
nowise dispels the idea Of creator or
! need in any way affect religious sent-
ment for while il destroys much Of the
/ folly and superstition that belongs to the
ideas thai grew out OF the false notions
Of cosmogony that prevailed in the early
infancy Of the race it points to higher
and nObler forms OF religion and to
better code Of morals.
"The genesis or formation OF indi-
vidual life, in spite Of saint and sage, IS
vet mystery and probably always will
| be. and the exact site of the origin OF
the reproductive cells is even matter OF
doubt. All that evolution recognizes 10
the transmutabilitY. the generic identity,
of the forces Of nature--as heat, hight,
electricity, gravity, chemical affinity,
magnetism, etc, which, III their az
gregate action, may be defined rs
omnipresent energy. We know, as
a matter of the simplest observation,
that this combined force or energy is
esse initial to the continuance of life, not
only upon our planet, but, dednctlyely,
in the universe. We are JUSTIFIED al
iaJtrying that IL is capable Vndcr nj
conditions Of 6cgettiHg or Gegima'ng
life IN connection Uith Whdt ne knOt0
rs 10a-HrtuQ matter. Evolution, IN
fact. inccifaJly lcads to the inference
/ that Uifal for. is trQnsmdoble INTO
and dcrivaJts from physical and
cacplicai force"
Professor SroNE, of the University Of
! Virginia, read an interesting paper on
NEvroS's law of gravity. Here is
striking sentence:
elf We 20 beyond the solar system
We cannot tell whether NewtOns law
does or does not apply without modiil-
cation to all parts OF the universe. 1t ID
principally in the hops OF answering
this question that double-star observa-
tons ale carried on"
President J. W. POWELL spoke OF the
| law Of the survival of tho fttest as fol-
lows:
1.-THE evolution Of animal Life is by the
method characterized ss tho survival OF
the fittest in the struggle for existence.
1t ia brutal method Of progress. 1t 10
progress by pain and death. 1t means
10 starve the weak, to torture the unior-
nate, apd 10 rejoice III all calamity, Tor
so progress is made in the animal work.
The rule OF nature, under the law of the
| survival OF the fttest. involves the su
premacy Of claw and hoax and poisoned
fang. But man inyents new method OF
progress by human endeayor. He has
ORGANIZED institutions TO establish peace,
TO secure Justice, and to promote mutual
assistance. The organization OF society
and the establishment of laws TO secure
Justice effect repeal OF the biotic law,
the survival of the fttest is the strug-
gle for existence.
Professor SMILEY took new view OF
the same law. lie objects to rendering
that Inv imperative. We quote:
"Altruism Tor caring for others] has
often been carried 10 injurious excess,
and vet we have had about as good gene
raj results as could be expected under
the circumstances The early step from
iustifiable egOism 10 that which discrimi-
mated was a long one. From the mind
resting on self to considering the imme-
diate wants of others was great ad
vance. From sltruism performed with
selfish motives to disinterested benevo-
lence was another grand advance.
The order Of humane progress doubt
less required long discipline in indis-
criminate altruism before men should
learn TO diherentiate it by observing Its
results. The most intense manifestation
of the altrnistic spirit is III non-resistance
TO evil and in utter disregard OF self.
How beautiful seem to US those precepts
pointing thereto. And yet, however
grandly its maxims may ring in our ears,
whatever praises we may bestow upon its
advocates and whatever satisfaction We
may express with the past, the day for
this indiscriminate altruism has gone by
and we are confronted with present duty.
To day those extremes of altruism, non
resistance, and self-abnegGtion have been
~ 4. f.x