Evening star., 1922-09-03
Fifty Years Ago
i'm The Star

Darwin's Descent Of Man" was
published in 1871 in England. and
raised there o. furore in
Uarwin's scientific and religious
Thaorv circles, owing Sto its
An0oiJ' suggestion Of q simian
origin for the human family The fol-
lowing occurs In The Star Of August
2s. 1879:
Our theoloeiAns do not seem in
lclined. like their brethren in England.
to pooh pooh the Darwinian theory OF
the development of races. On the con-
trary. they not only treat the data
and conclusions Of the distinguished
scientist with much the same fairness
and candor with which he states them.
but some OF them are disposed to ae-
cept the Darwinian doctrines as
proved and to maintain their con-
sonance with the divine records. OF
this class is Prof. Asa Gray. the re-
firing president Of the American As
sociation for the Advancement of
Science, now in session at Dubuque.
| who makes an unconditional indorse
ment of the Darwinian theory. ex-
pressing at the same time a confident
hope that the religious faith which
survived, without a shock, the notion
of the fixity Of the earth itself may
equally outlast the notion OF the Alb
solute hxity Of the sSecies which In
habit it,
ut is not quite agreeable to human
pride to accept the belief that we are
descended from the unprepossessine
monkey, but II any are too squeannish
to accept this faith they are permit
ted. by the Darwinian theory. to trace
their Eenealosy away back to the
fish family and to the yet simpler
forms of animal life. Those who wish
to can therefore take their pedigree
from the jeliyhsh instead Of the ape"
There was no interstate commerce
act fifty years ago, and there were
but few statutes rel
The Rights of ative to the rights OF
passengers on pub
<assengers. lie carriers. In The
Star Of August 2s. 1872. is the following
discussion of the matter:
Railroad companies and street car
companies have. for the protection of
their own interests. established va
rious regulations and rules which the
public generally has come 10 look
upon as established law and to sub
NIT to without question. This has
come about both because the real
powers of the companies have not
been fully understood and because an
aggrieved passenger does not usually
care to subject himself TO the ea-
pense. annoyance and loss Of time
called for in making a contest with
a wealthy and powerful corporation.
Recently a paper devoted to rail-
road subjects gave an exposition CT
the rulings of courts and other points
of information Of interest to the puo-
lie as to the rights of passengers. The
legal definition of passenger is a
person who undertakes. with the con-
sent of the carrier. TO travel in The
conveyance provided by the latter.
otherwise than In the service OF the
carrier as such Railway companies
are bound to carry all who oner
themselves unless they are offensive
in person or conduct. or the cars are
already full Waiting at the depot
with the intention to take the train
is sufficient to constitute the relation
Of passenger and carrier. GOOD for
this day only printed upon the ticket
has been decided by the courts to be
of no effect. The passenger has paid
his money and is entitled to trans
portation II has also been recentlT
decided in New York that ticket
for passage between any two points
is good either way; but it 10 doubtful
II the decision will stand unreversed.
Any injury to the person OF the pas
senger through the negligence OF the
agents of the railway subjects the
latter to damages. and any loss of
proper baggage-it must be only such
as is necessary for the comfort Of the
traveler-can be recovered by civil
process, and the contents of trunk
can be proved by the oath OF the
plaintiff