The Washington herald., 1909-04-24
CARNEGIE INSTITUTION
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Searching the very hooks and crannies
OF the globe for new facts, which viii 1
promote the cause OF science in al its
branches; getting together the records OF
the past for the historian-the great mass
Of historical data which the lack Of
means has put beyond the reach OF indi- 1
viduaIs: aiding hundreds OF meritorious !
plodders after truth in their efforts TO /
a0d some mite 10 the sum total Of beneii- /
cent human knowledge, the work OF the
Carnegie Institution. Of Washington, has /
been more brilliant in It's results dur
ing the past year than IN any other year
OF its existence. Even as the foundations !
OF Europe's Oldest cathedrals were laid
broad. accurate and firm. so have been
laid the principles OF the Carnegie Insti-
tuition. Aiming at greater results than
were ever before accomplished under the
auspices OF a single institution. II sought
TO lay its foundations so broad, so sccu-
rate. and so firm that Il would hold any
scientific superstructure the future might
erect thereon. With Infinite pains and
bed rock OF first principles.
IN many Of the departments Of activity
which It pursues, the results so far found
are meaningless TO the layman- The most
profound patience IS required Not days
not years not even g lifetime are ex-
pscted TO serve 10 bring out the ultimate
truth, but slowly and surely the work OF
investigation viii go on until the treas
ures hidden in the rocks Of truth are ex-
posed 10 the worlds view. Take. for
instance, the department Of experimental
evolution. Since the veTy beginning Of
the institution, it has been plugging away
at the solution Of the mysteries OF life,
the laws Of heredity. and allied problems
L viii be years and years before any
great truths can be arrived at, yet, by
wholesale, II slow, experimentation. the
truth will certainly be brought 10 light in
the end. Taking the human as study.
the department has verified the theory
that the children Of blue-eyed parents are
certain 10 be blue-eyed. while. il one OF
the parents has brown eyes. some OF the
children are apt TO have eyes Of that
color. In the matter Of hair. Il was shown
that the children OF parents. both Of
whom have straight hair. cannot have
curly hair. Il Is also proved that seldom
does the child have hair darker tnan that
OF the darker OF its parents. Applying
this theory and carrying Il 10 its logical
conclusion, il IS hoped that the improve
ment OF the human family may become
one Of the actualities OF the future.
From his studies. Director Davenport
concludes that the offspring tends TO rise
70 no higher grade In quality OF charac-
ter than the parents. which accounts for
the deleterious effect OF in5reeding, wher-
ever il occurs. DR.. Lutz has gathered
clear evidence OF the degeneration OF the
wings OF vinegar flies through inbreeding.
Albinism. imperfect sense organs and low
Intelligence are some Of the results IN
the human family. These few examples
are only hints OF the vast deal OF patient
research that is being made by the de-
partment OF experimental evolution. The
experiments Of Luther Burbank are being
studied from the scientific standpoint by
n representative OF the institution. and
he is getting together many remarkable
things with reference 10 plant heredity.
IN the department Of botanical research.
much wonderful work has been accom-
piished. The investigations into plant
life have revealed many things hitherto
unknown. and have laid the foundations
for many broader experiments in the
future. Perhaps the most remarkable
series OF experiments was with refer
ence to the generation of plants By the
use OF chemicals injected into the flowers
at the proper moment. the expeT.menters
have been able 20 break the laws OF
plant heredity, and 20 force the plants 70
go contrary 10 the principle. after his
own kind shall each bring forth Direc-
tor McDOUgaI believes that. after a
further study. man may be able 20 mod
ify the entire progeny OF plant. and to
give those notifications definite trend
OF direction, BY which man might control
the evolution Of other organisms and
produce relations among living things
not now existent
The work OF the department Of eco
nomics and sociology has been highly
fruitful Of results during the past year
The department has 204 people az work
collecting contributions 10 American eco
n9mic history. The purpose OF the de-
partnent is not to write history itself.
but 20 get together. in logical and chron-
oiogicaI form. the data for the historian
into q number Of branches Dr. Walter
7. Wilcox. OF CrTnen. Is in charge OF
that branch relating 10 population and
immigration He holds that the central
theme OF modern history Is not the
growth Of liberty OF the spread Of demo
cratic institutions, but rather the exDan-
sion OF the white race. He finds that
there are now more Europeans living
outside Of Europe than there were living
in Europe al the time Columbus discOv-
cred America, and that two thirds Of
these live in the United States. He fur
fher points out that the number Of
Europeans by blood has Quadrupled IN
the past I5o years. while other racial
stocks. which have not been vfvifed by
the touch OF Europe. have dwindled In
numbers and power. Ambassador Bryce
said. years ago that Europe ends at the
Mississippi Dr- Wilcox goes further.
and says It viii soon end at the Golden
Gate.
The divisions engaged in collecting his
toricsl date concerning mining. sociology.
agriculture and forestry. manufacturing
transportation, &C. are turning out some
most interesting work The collection Of
data from the archives OF the national
government from those OF Spain. OF Eng
land, OF Mexico. and Of other nations
has added a wealth OF detail 10 the
available historical matter. vet these in
Testigstions have just begun. This work
has been under the department OF histor-