The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-18
THE END OF MARS.

PrO1s GGICltdl Lowell Doon, Ahoi =
as the Abode of Life" is a treatise
on the genesis and evolution OF
worlds, using Mars as an Illustration
ct the various processes-the grayi-
tation OF PARTICLES or small masses to
form a molten globe. its gradual cool
ing, the shaping Of its surface by
water-sculpture and other agencies,
the origin of organic life and its de-
velopment, the evolution of climate,
end the gradual drying and cooling
OF the planet to a point where ali life
becomes extinct, says Literary Di-
gest. The Mars OF the illustrations
is OF course Professor Lowell's own
Mars-a body of whose existence the
majority of astronomers are not yet
persuaded. 1t is, as we know from
his previous works, planet whose
development has proceeded farther
than that Of the earth and on some
what different lines-a dry globe OF
deep and widespread polar SHOWS,
melting in spring to water which is
conducted over the surface by stu
pendous channels, made by intelli-
gent living beings. and rendered visi-
BILE to us by the vegetation that
springs up along their banks. That
planetary change has far advanced on
Mars, Professor Lowell is certain, and
it's condition is therefore interesting
to us, pointing out the stages through
which our own earth must pass. Mars
has lost its oceans; our own are dis
appearing. On both planets "terres-
triality succeeds terraqueousness," +"
which seems TO be Professor Lowell's
somewhat sesquipedalian way of say
drying up. We have our little deserts,
our Saharas. our object.lessons In
Egypt and Carthage; on Mars the dry
ing process has gone further. Says
Professor Lowell:
Study of the natural features of the
planet leaves us, then, this picture
of its present state-a worldwide
desert where fertile spots are the eX-
ception, and not the rule, and where
water everywhere is scarce. So scanty
is this organic essential, that over the
greater part of the surface there is
none to quicken vegetation OF to sup
port life. Only here and there by ma
ture are possible those processes
which make our earth the habitable.
homelike place we know. In our sur
vey OF Mars, then. we behold the
saddening picture of a world athirst.
where, as in our own Saharas, water
is the only thing needed, and get
where by nature 1t can not be got.
But one line of salvation is open to
II, and that lies In the periodic un.
locking of the remnant of water that
each year gathers. as snow and ice
about Its poles.
THE struggle for existence in their
planets oecrepltude and decay would
lend TO evolve intelligence to cope
with circumstances growing momen
tarlly more and more adverse. But
furthermore, the solidarity that the
conditions prescribed would conduce
tc a breadth of understanding sufD
cient to utilize II. Intercommunlca
ton over the whole globe Is made moi
only possible, but obligatory. THIS
would lead to the easier spreading
over it of some dominant creature-es
pecially were this being of an ad
Nanced order of lntellect-able to rise
| above its bodily limitations to ameli
| ercise of mind. What absence o
seas would thus entail, absence o
mountains would further. These tw,
obstacles to distribution removed
life there would tend the quicker t,
reach highly organized stage. Thu
Martian conditions themselves max
fer intelligence"
Having thus established the ante
cedent probability Of intelligent lii
On Mars. the writer proceeds to poin
out what he considers the actual ev
dence of its existence-the celebrate
canals. whose artificial character b
regards as certain, since they ar
neither rivers nor cracks. and all otbe
natural explanations have proved sim
iarly impossible. In fact, the theor
Of life on Mars stands or falls wit