New-York tribune., 1908-07-22
SPOOK TRAPPING.

In explaining the attitude Of DR.. James III.
Hyslop and other psychic investigators toward
q $500 challenge DR.. I. X. Funk, it seems
to U.S. builds his apology upon one small rock
and great deal Of sand and unfortunately the
rock is not utilized to the full extent Of its
supporting power. The Society for Psychical
Research may reasonably refuse to seek the
prize recently offered for satisfactory proof
of spirit world on the ground that the proba-
bic cost of essaying the demonstration would
be excessive This argument might be based
upon DR.. Funks correct distinction between
physical and psychcal phenomena:
These facts come through observation, not by
experiment; they not tap; they do not
come at call. In no other Investigation is the
personal equation so in evidence. We have to
do with many facts and laws of the human
mind that little known Then. If the hy-
pothesis of outside intelligence is true, there
may be scores Of forces and scores Of laws
with which we have to deal which alto
gether to us. In solving problems of this
kind we should sit down quietly and observe;
dogmatism and presupposition hinder. We can
/. not proceed does the physical scientist who
proves the existence and nature Of radium
In other words, if there really are commun-
cative spirits, they may manifest themselves
only when so dsposed-just as a fesh-and-
blood man eats carrots or buys a fancy waist
coat. Possibly, too, their appearance is con-
ditioned not only by their whims, but by
the digestion or general felicity of the usually
uncuItured medium. Thus the presence of
scientific sceptics at seances might well give
the medium stage fright and send the spirits
sulking to their ethereal tents, and ten years
and many thousands of dollars might be frit-
tered away in futile waits for unwilling
visitors.
DR.. Funks reply to the challengers ought
to have been Gentlemen, raise the figure to
100000 and set no time limit upon our en-
| h. forf ii, nI-a
such proposal by what he says of the true
scientists scorn of cash incentives. DIR. Funk
would have us believe that no reputable in
vestigator ever accepts a challenge to prove
something If there Is purse attached II DR..
Funk is right then the psychic investigators
are the only reputable scientists betwixt the
poles. Every university harbors serious, COM
petent men who are laboring day and night
To unravel problems for whose solution gov
ernments, corporations or private citizens are
offering substantial prizes. Does the soul
student scorn the assistance or question the
sincerity of these physicists, chemists, etc, be
cause of their mercenary talnt! II so, what
wonder that the claims and methods of psy-
chica research still provoke smilesl Or that
! il is diffienlt to believe the assertion that a
! committee of scientists cannot be found will
| ing to spend years in search OF spooksi No
doubt the apologist is correct in his belief that
| such a committee would be strongly predis-
| posed TO offer explanations of indubirabe dis
coveries widely different from those which are
| offered by spiritualiss. But this Is beside the
| point There Is only one pressing problem in
psychic research just now, and that is the per-
| tormancs Of experiments pndss conditions