The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-20
AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION or
Mr.. ROOSEVELTS CHARGES.
superintendent MAxwerrs Expected Dc
eialOn.

ClatOn,
From School.
As the school children OF all New York.
reaching near to an army Of t~hree-duarters
or a million, are being taught natural history,
City Superintendent Maxwell feels called
upon 70 look into the impossible absurdi-
ties" which President Roosevelt has an
nounoed, with his accustomed emphasis. "a
beinR presented In the books Of some would
be nature students" who are called nature
fakers"-a term somewhat ssvoring OF cur
rent slang In itself.
DR.. William j. Long 10 alleged to be the
most bAmeful of these. and several Of his
books are on the public school list. He has
been pointed out also by John Burroughs
ana other sober students, and even School
has objected; but DIR. Long has started out
on q hunt-without a gun-for the President.
but with the hvowed purpose OF pursuing
MIN TO q stAndstill or making him retreat.
He has already achieved one important vic
tory, for the President has suddenly become
silent and Or. Long has the last word. This
is something OF which not many Of Presi-
dent RooSevelt's opponents can boast. and
which DR., Long ts bound TO make the most
OF, as II can do him no harm TO spread far and
vide and get more people TO read his books
and listen 20 him.
PDr Maxwell 10 satisfied that Il 10 all right
II DR.. Long and writer's like him will conhne
themselves to fairy stories" and fables, and
not assume that they are teiiin q scientific facts
for school children 10 believe; but II is OBJ
tected that DR.. Long. In the p~refaces Of his
books. insists on the truth Of all he writes,
as based on his own sight and bservation
and II may be that he has an extra sight or a
sixth sense to zee and feel what others cannot
OF the wild animal creation. He says that
ne has evidence for everything. but II may
be his evidence would be ruled out OF any
regular court. 1t 10 objected by plain, matter
OF fact persons that his cock %partridFes who
assemble their kin In the woods at the sound
OF their drum and then call q roll 10 verify
their number are much like the hshes and
birds Of Arabian Nights" tales. The wood
cock surgeon who sets the broken legs and
makes mud plaster casts for other woodcocks
10 regarded as O rare variety OF the same
species; while that bullfroR he tells about
that ohewed tobacco and then vomited II
out. and with It his stomach, which he washed
In the lake. lie Of Almost certain relation to
those distin guished jumping frogs OF Mark
Twain. one Of which had hia stomach filled
with bird shot. making him too heavy to
jump at all.
II seems to School that the President and
some others take these wood nAturalists"
too seriously. h DR., Long goes into the
woods the birds all hy out and 1utter before
him az they do before no other persons. The
animals get upon their him feet and courtesy.
The big gray wolves will sometimes follow
after him. not migtaking him for Red Riding
Hood. but just to thrust their noses under
his arm and have their heads rubbed, while
even Wild beasts In a cage will grin and well
come his company without an unfriendly
decentralization DR.. Long reports all this
himself; but he should beware. HI may be
too confident and, conhding, like the man who
trusted his head In the lion q mouth once too
often. There II no certainty OF the pla yfuI,
primitive pranks Of wild life until II IL too
late and Of no use 10 be sorry. Even the
President may be too serious in not allowing
for suficient play Of humor and ina ~gination
in his estimate. 1t is going to a great deal
Of labor to take out a cannon 10 train on a
humble bee, and he may have heard OF that
old Spanish proverb which tells Of the man
who opened his mouth least and who swal-
lowed the fewsst flies.
DR.. Maxwell, though not protesting TO be
a nature student himself. can certainly carry
a big stick. and should be an important re-
enforcement but he is en- experienced student
OF men. who can take all these probabilities
into consideration and give to each its due
weight.