New-York tribune., 1902-12-09
THE NOBEL PRIZES.

Now that the Nobel awards for 1902 are hnai-
II known with accuracy there will be little DIS
position to rnpute either poor taste or faVorlt-
ism to the committees which made them Other
Judges might have acted differently. But no
one knows what embaTassments the Nopei
trustees have experienced in arriving at ther
conclusions; and no one knows what may De
their intentions for another year. certainly
their duty is not an easy one, and the manner
in which it is performed can best be judged
after ten or fifteen years have elapsed
So conspicuously identified with the promotion
of friendly international relations has PROBES
scr De Martens been that one might well Won
der why he did not receive the peace prize last
year. His share in bringing about The hague
conference and his active participation in nu-
merous arb:trations-notably that of the recent
controversy between Great Britain and Venez-
uela-give him peculiar ple-eminence as an
enemy of war. Mommsen the German MS
torian, has not only made rich contributors 10
literature, but has reached a ripe old age HaV-
ing now entered upon his eighty-sixth year, the
Nobel committees did we'll not to postpone longer
the bestowaI of an honor of which they deemed
him worthy AS yet the medical world Is not
fully agreed as to the extent to which the mos
quito is responsible for the dissemination Vi
malaria but Major Ress's discoveries Iii TINS
field are unquestionably of great value. NO one
in his own department of science VIII peSruuSe
him the recognition he now receives. froIessor
Fischer's chemical studies have been varied anu
numerous, and some of them are OF great prac-
tical Importance This is especially true OF MS III
nu;ries info tbe nature of uric acid and other
nroducts of tbe human system, and his work in
the realm of artificial dyes. Lorentz's and zee
mans researches-nto the general character OF
radiation-are rather more abstruse- But pure
science has its devotees, and the lab0rs OF these
men have attracted much attention among
physicists in the last few years
Twelve awards were made last year ana this
one nrize being divided each year. Thus far
America gets no recognition Whatever, pu' hei
turn will come next year, perhaps. 1t would
he gratifying to Americans TO feel that their
exceIIences were appreciated at Stockholm, but
it is altogether too soon TO complain or neglect
England gets prize this year for the nrst
+ime IT may occasion surprise that Marconl
did not get it. But he is young man YET, anu
his work is not fully matured. Besides, the
honor which Major Ross receives is worthiiy
bestowed Russia too gets her first awaFu
this year. Germany had two prizes IN looi'
those bestowed on R0ntgen and Behring anu
now wins two more. But Fischer and Mommseh
so thoroughly deserve what they got that there
is no occasion for jealousy. Holland, one OF
whose sons, Want Hoff received the prize IN
chemistry last year. is once more honored'
Lorentz and Zeeman both being Dutchmen'
All of which goes to show that the greatness OF
a country depends not SO much on her size as
the quality of her people
Some interesting questions suggest them-
selves concerning the propriety of recognizing
with large sums Of money such services 10 man
kind as those here under consideration Inc
pecuniary rewards that famous writers, pubh-
cists and investigators reap are seldom large.
One might well wish that there were more
NoheIs to contribute in this fashion 10 their
worldly prosperity. Nevertheless. il the S2o''
600 now divided up among five prizes every
year were devoted to promoting research III
the way contemplated by the Carnegie insutu-
ton. the stimulus given to progress would uh-
auestionably be greater.