The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-09-14
MARS ABODE OF LIFE
PROF. LOWELL DECLARES PLAN
EFT is INHABITED.
Well.Known Astronomer Says Recent
Observations Confirm Belief He
Hed-Star Gazer Watches
Evolution of Canals.

London-In answer to a request
from the editor of Nature for an au-
thoHtative statement of his obserya-
tions of Mars made during the 1907
opposition Prof Percival Lowell COM
municates to that publication what he
believes are the most important re-
suits obtained.
Prof. Lowell declares the planet is
at present the abode of an intelligent
constructive life. The results OBJ
tanned" he writes, exceed what seem
ed likely in view of the unfayorable
declination of the planet to a position
so southern as to render it practically
unobservable in England, France, or
the northern part of the United States
The first of these relates to the polar
caps. From the fact that the observa-
tions were begun in March, three
il was possible to catch both caps al
an interesting phase Of their careers,
the southern one at its maximum and
the northern at the minimum OK
tent.
"The southern cap at thiS epoch
stretched across 81 degrees latitude
counting from one side Of it to thD
other. the northern only over night
Since that date the dwindling of the
southern cap and the making of the
northern has been carefully watched
to the complete confirmation of the
curious manner in which the latter is
formed as witnessed here at two pre-
vious oppositions.
The next observed was the develop
ment of the canal system in the an.
thracite and south temperate zones.
After the melting of the south polar
cap had got well under way the canals
began to make their appearance about
it, running thence down the disk.
Then the canals left its edge and
Joined the rest of the system in the
lower ATTITUDES.
Those on the south, such as AM
brosia and Bathys, were darker and
more pronounced than those running
north, Tithonius, for example, which
showed evidence of being in it's dead
or skeleton condition while the for
mer were in full tide of development.
Meanwhile the equatorial canals
were steadily fading out. The proc
ess of evolution was in keeping with
the method of development found here
for the northern canals in 1908. In
fact, it Is of the nature of prophecy
fulfilled and not only supports pre-.
vious observations but proves the
theory deduced from them to have
been correct. 1t is direct seuuitur
from this that the planet is at present
the abode of intelligent and construc.
tive life.
may say in this connection that
the theory of such life upon Mars
was in no way on priori hypothesis
on my part, but deduced as the out.
come of observations and that my OBJ
servations since have fully confirmed
it. No other supposition is consonant
with all the facts observed"
Prof, Lowell goes on to say:
Another result of this opposition
has been the success of the photo
graphs taken of the planet. have all
ready counted So canals on my plates
The twin Glhon have been photographs
ed double and such delicate MARKINGS
as Fons Juyentae and the little canals
leading to 1t appear Enthusiastically in
the prints. Such greater markings as
the dwindling of the southern snowcap
show beautifully, and II looks as IL
rnc result of positioning the points
Of Maritian topogrophy by measures
OF the photographs was in process OF
realization"