The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-04-19
THE PUBLIC FORUM
REPLY TO IGNoRAMus.
Editor of The Chieftain:

III a ANNNnN Ao6uC VI AhG 0hANANaAAs
notice that a person writing under the
PseudO-nym, Il mean with the Pseudo
left OUT of Ignoramus, interrogates
us regarding Matter and Force. In
writing few words in reply, | desire
to make the statement at the outset
that l am sure of course, that the
questions are not asked in good faith;
but are asked in the way of a quibble.
This controversy started on the prop
osition that the Bible was alleged to
be the source of all morality and civil
ization, and in the course of that dis
cussion other matters crept in, and
one of these statements was to the
effect that Matter and Force are Eter-
nal, and can not be diminished or in
creased The questioner doubtless
mistook my article to say matter
substance" as he uses that all through
his list of "Unanswerable queries"
Let me say again, my dear lgnoramus,
that what | did say was that Matter
and Force were inseparable, and in
capable of being increased or dimin-
ished. No Force without matter, no
matter without force. Now, it may
be that l sm unable to see Force"
but I can see the effect of Force, and
as for seeing matter, l can see nothing
else but matter, no matter which way
| turn. For example: The great
cataract at Niagara, N. ", converts
the force generated by the fall of water
into Electricity, and this is in turn
used to run the street car lines in all
the towns within hundred miles OF
the Falls. Force, my esteemed friend
is a property of matter, and it may be
Gravity, Light, Heat, Sound, or Elec-
tricity, yet each one of these mani
festations are a part of the Some
thing" which we term force. l agree
with you that l am unable to tell you
why Electricity can be transmitted a
long distance and then converted into
heat, light, or dynamic energy, but |
have seen it done. / can not explain
to you why two pieces of dissimilar
metal will in an acidulated solution
of Chloride of Ammonia generate a
current of that elusive substance We
call Electricity, which | can convert
into a powerful magnet and lift steel
or iron bodies many times the weight
of the attracting body
Scientists have repeatedly demon
strated that Matter is indestructible,
and while the shape of body may be
changed, no loss has occurred, as II
only exists in another form.
No doubt, my distinguished friend,
Ignoramus has seen the experiment OF
separating water into its two com
ponent elements Hydrogen and Oxy
gen, and has watched with interest
while the resulting Gases were col
lected in the exact proportion OF two
atoms of the former to one. OF the
latter, these gases poured together
the electric spark into the mixture
and the resulting explosion put the
atoms back together in the form Of
water.
I would recommend that lgnoramuE
secures a good work on Physics, ant
with that a good Chemistry, and SEE
If there is any recorded instance IL
the works of any of the Chemists o.
Physicists, where any atoms have beer
lost or destroyed, or where there has
been any demonstrable increase or de
crease of Force.
Ignoramus, doubtless unwittingl!
allies himself with those Unitarian
Spiritualists who believe that Every
thing is God; and | do not know
whether the Rationalists would dis
agree with him much, if he insists OF
saving that Force is spirit; but he il
purchasing himself a large quantit,
of trouble in assisting his Metophysi
cal Defenders of Superstition whel
he takes this view: for Man is haI
Messing this Force that he is s.
wrought up over, and he is III the pos
ition or arguing that Man Can Harnes
GOD! 1t is a matter of every da
demonstration that Man is rising tn
natural forces of the World. The Llgh
from the Sun is used in the Sun EI
gines, the Currents of Water in tn
many Falls. the force of ELECTRICITY
released by mans cunningly devise
instruments and machines,-these ar
all used for mans work. and yet lgnol
anus would have us believe that thu
Force, this unseen and incomprehen'
ible Ignus Fatuus, is a part OF the 81
ing, that talked with Moses face
face,
If Ignoramus will read a little hl'
tory, he will find that these FORCE
have been great destroyers, instance
by the destruction of life when tn
Tidal Wave. swept over the harbor q