Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-04
Is PALEONTOLOGY OF ANY USE,
Maj. Powell and Prof. MCGEE Claim That II
Has Value.

Has Value.
ssWHAT Is THE USE OF PALEON-
w tology?'' The question has been
asked in Congress this week by Representatives
who freely expressed the opinion that this
branch of science was of no value whatever
Regarding it from this point of view they pro-
posed to give no money to it in the appropria-
ton for the geological survey. In order to get
a word or two on the other side of the question
a STAR writer asked Maj. J. W. Powell to ex-
plain what paleontology was good for.
''To begin WITH" said he, 'all the sediment
airy rocks of the world are characterized by GER
tain fossils Of animals and plants which they
contain. The rocks are classified BY their fos-
sis, which indicate the age of the formation in
each case and the epoch at which it was laid
down. Thus the study of the rocks is the study
of the fossils in them, and we call that study
'paleOntology.' By its aid we learn the history
Of this earth on which we live-the details of its
building and the story Of the development of
life upon it.
'Paleontology is the basis Of geological
science. 1t has elevated mining 9om mere
guesswork to the status of exact knowledge
All the work of the mining engineers of the
world depends upon it. The most valuable
study of the rock formations which can only be
traced by their fossils. All the coal in the
United States ia mined by such means Many
beds OF iron are in like manner related to the
sedimentary rocks. All the lead of Iowa and
Missouri and the silver Of Colorado are OBJ
tanned from rocks whose bearing veins and
lodes are traced by the fossils they contain
Thus you will perceive that, in great measure,
the riches Of the earth are derived from and
civilization depends upon paleontology.
"Paleontology Is recognized as the basis Of
all the geological surveys Of Europe and Asia.
Next after paleontology in point Of importance
comes the study Of the chemistry of rocks and
after chemistry 'lithology'-that is, the study of
the crystals OF rocks-is to be considered. In
cidentally an interesting and valuable contribu-
ton to science is afforded by studying the ami
mails and plants whose remains are found pre-
served in the rocks. They tell the story of the
life history Of the world. However that ia
me add that every state geological survey thus
FAR made, as well as every geological survey ex-
ecuted by the United States. has been based on
paleontology. :
"a secondary end of paleontology is the
calculation Of the past history of life upon the
cations and uses Of the knowledge thus required
are many and varied, and yet they pertain
chiefly to pure science, which is now, as il ever
has been, the foundation for the future. Il Is
the knowlege Of today that enables men not
only to predict but to control the events of to-
morrow. The simple experiments and specu-
lations of Watts produced the steam locomo-
ton of later generation; the electrical TOYS of
Morse and Henry yielded the telegraph, the
telephone and the electric motor. Thus far
the cultivation Of paleontology as pure science
has not yielded it's fullest fruit except in its ap-
plication as the basis for the classification Of
the rocks Of the earth, but there are not want
ing conservative students who hold that the
study Of the course Of life in the past win indi-
cate the safest direction for future guidance,
with respect not only to domestic animals and
plants yielding food supplies, but even for man
himself"