Evening star., 1900-12-26
FUTURE OF MANKIND
Views of Prof. Haeckel on a Most
Fascinating Subject.
INFLUENCES THAT are At WORK
This Century Has Been the Golden
Era of Science.
EVOLUTION AND PROGRESS
Copyright, 1900, by R. s. Bakery

Prof Ernst Haeckel of the University or
Jena, in Germany, is perhaps the most dis
tinguished living evolutionist. An assocl-
ate and co-worker with Darwin Huxley
and Spencer, he has lived to see the theory
of evolution become a generally accepted
scientific law the world over. He has done
in continental Europe, in building up the
great fabric of concrete proof for Darw1ns
theory, what Huxley did in England. His
published works now reach the proportions
of a small library, his Natural History OF
Creation having been translated INTO no
fewer than twelve languages.
In a recent interview with Prof. Haeckel
at his home in Jena l questioned him re-
garding the future development OF the hu-
man race physical and intellectual the
tendency of the race, whether progressive
or retrogressive; the chief influences work
ing upon modern life, and the probable
trend of progress in scientific research
The appended notes of the interview nave
been carefully reviewed and revised by
him, and therefore may stand as an au-
thoritative expression of his views. First,
as to the next stages in the development Of
mankind:
The Coming Man.
'It will be mostly mental. the evolution
Of a better and finer BRAIN. said Prof.
Haeckel. when mans brain began to de-
yelop rapidly there was no further need
for great changes in his body. And yet
some physical changes are still going on.
Man will probably lose some Of his teeth,
there being not the use for them that there
was, and there are signs that the little
toes will also disappear, leaving man
four-toed animal. But these changes are
mental development"
There are, however, as Prof. Haeckel
points out, tremendous influences at work
in developing mankind--a vast and fas-
cinating field of study. Man being prod
uct of natural evolution and development,
his institutions must necessarily be a like
product. and the application of the theory
to political and social economy, statecraft
and education are most hopeful fields Of
work for future thinkers.
Influences at Work.
Life was never more complex than 1t is
today" said Professor Haeckel "and there
is no prophesying the exact lines Of future
development. Man at present seems to be
developing or retrograding In masses-by
nations, and yet under very different
influences. Here in Germany the ten
dency is all toward the Capitalization of
power In the government. the removal of
individual responsibility and the working
together Of large masses of men one
man. In America the tendency has been
different; there the individual Is developed;
he has great powers and responsibilities
the man is the unit Who shall say how
these great influences will work out?''
AT another time Professor Haeckel spoke
of the beautiful and accurate pictures Of
animals and plants now obtainable, where
thirty years ago there were almost none, as
an instance of one Of the lesser and yet i'm
portant influences of modern life. Pictures
convey ideas swiftly and accurately; there
fore they serve as a new and powerful
factor in education, scientific education in
particular "A man may become compara-
lively familiar with the animal forms of
the world in a short time, through the per-
feet pictures now obtainable whereas a few
years ago it would have taken lifetime.
Military and Medical Selection.
Then there are other influences to which
Professor Haeckel has often called atten-
ton. In Europe there is the influence Of
what he calls military selection, all the
young men being taken at a certain age, re-
moved from productive labor or study and
put through exactly similar training for one
or two years. In America there is no such
influence. How such training or lack Of 1t
will develop the race is question to which
the future must furnish the solution.
Haeckel also speaks Of medical selection
as one of the powerful modern Influences
Medical science has made great strides in
the past few years: 1t saves many lives
that otherwise would have been lost and
frequently it keeps people with dangerous
diseases alive for years. This must not
only tend to breed sickly race but 1t
necessarily swells the population largely
the crowding bringing with it new and diff.
cult problems.
The earth is now almost wholly fnhabit-
ed there are no longer any new places for
immigration and the development Of virgin
land. This means the elimination of that
potent influence which has had so great
share in the progress of the world during
the last few hundred years. The contest
must now change Instead of discovering
and settling new continents and fighting
saVages, civilized man must set himself to
a terrible new struggle for existence be-
tween the older nations; for instance in
commerce and trade, tariffs, spheres of in
huence, and so on; and the strongest, most
easily adaptable, most resourceful most
favored nations will win. Professor Hack
el spoke Of the remarkable retrogression of
the Latin races during the past few dec
AIDES as a striking instance Of this new
struggle - especially the retrogression of
once powerful Spain. He also called atten-
tion to the sudden upward progress Of ia
pan. 1t Is as ever, the struggle between the
species for existence, and the sharper the
struggle within certain limits the greater
the development of the strong.
L asked Professor Haeckel what in his
opinion, were the next great avenues of de-
Nelopment In scientific research
Golden Era of Science.
Il believe" he said, that the nineteenth
century has been the golden era of science
that there will never again be so many
discoveries of profound Importance"
Indeed, he is of the opinion that there are
no more great universal generalizations to
be made, like the law Of the conservation
Of energy, the attraction of gravitation and
the theory of natural evolution He thinks
the work Of future scientists will deal
largely with the application of the great
principles and generalizations already well
known. By this he does not mean that
wonderful new scientific discoveries will
not be made, but that they will not have
the profound Importance of these funda-
mental laws.
II look for the greatest future develop
ment in the science of chemistry" he said.
He spoke Of the attempts now being made
to show that the seYeutY Or more sa-ca alled