Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-09-27
New York, Sept. 10.
The Question of Species.

The question or Species.
In response to my first question, DR..
Stiebeling says: Genera and species
are blended together by continuous i'm
perceptible gradations only with the
lower organic beings" (See WoRKMEN's
ADVOCATE of Sept 49, Glad to hear
this admission; | must remind him, how
ever, that this undermines his theory,
which, distinguishing between an extra
and intra-specific struggle, declares this
latter to be unnatural and existing with
in mankind only as morbid outgrowth.
For, since the lower organisms (the
asexuaD are inseparable by any boun
diaries, they constitute one large species,
wherein but perfect peace had to pre-.
vail. while in reality the struggle is as
severe there as anywhere else; this being
quite natural, for otherwise how could
the higher organisms evolve from these
lower ones by natural selection, which
operates only through the medium of
the natural struggle for existence?
Further the DR.. says: "While with
the higher ones, in which the separation
of sexes has taken place. genera and
species are distinguished by marked
boundaries. The most important char
acter in this regard is the fact that the
sexual connection of two individuals
procreates fertile or barren offspring
or no offspring at ALL" In order to
show the groundlessness of this assertion
and the absence in it of anything like an
answer to my question, | must ask the
editor to allow me some space for the
following remarks on this subject:
When | have asked DR.. StiebeIing
whether there are marked boundaries
separating species or not, l was, as it
could be understood, well aware of the
fact that according to some naturalsts,
mostly past, such boundaries exist If
we follow Linn8us and use his test for
specific distinction, the external forms
of the various individuals have to be our
chief guide; while if we choose to utilize
CuvIers standard, it is the comparison
of the internal structures comparative
anatomy that we must employ in this
line of scientific research But in either
case we would gravely err, since system
attic affinity has become an established
fact, approved by all naturalists, petri-
flying and placing the theories of Lin
n&us and Culver among the numerous
fossils abiding the strata of the scientific
past, the very same place to which the
cataclysms of the last named scientist
have been forced by Syelrs geological
succession 1t is easy for every one
who bestows some consideration upon
this subject, to discover the motive by
which the desire for distinction Of
species has been prompted, namely, the
Hnconquerable wish to justify the bblic-
al narrative of creation. 1t has been
thus done by Linn8us in sincere be lief
of the Genesis, and by Cuvier in OPP
position to Lamark's announcement of
the theory of descent, the embryo of
Darwinism, in which name it is now in
cluded. This wish, to reconcile the
mythical bible with science (ln unfortu-
nate interiors;, since in this case it is
most decidedly sterile), has been once
more awakened after the days of Culver,
this time with redoubled vigor, and
found its expression in the elaborate
works of Agassiz, Gartner, Kolreuter
and others. These latter have tried to
demonstrate, by experiments chiefly
upon members of the vegetable kingdom,
that there is safe criterion for the dis
tinction of species, since they .:e en-
lowed with the property of being rem
dered sterile when intercrossing is =
tempted, this being manifest eithe =
the very start lat the first intercross) or
in their bastard otfsprings (hy brids(
But even this seemingly well constituted
hypothesis was not destined for long,
evity, and withered away before the
just criticism and other experimental
conclusions directed against it by Oar.
win, Haeckel and others. Darwin says:
1T is certain on the one hand that the
sterility of various species when crossed
is so different in degree and graduates
away so insensibly, and on the other
hand, that the fertility Of pure species is
so easily affected by various circum.
stances, that for all practical purposes