The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-07-17
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Evolution Trial in Dayton,
Tenn, Draws Attention of
the Civilized World,
BY EDWARD W. PIckARD.

N ESPITE all the jokes, sneers and
~ laughter, the evolution trial that
opened last week in the little town
of Dayton, Tenn, is bound to attract
popular attention, not alone in Amer
lea but throughout the civilized
world. OF course the statement of
William Jennings Bryan that Chris
tianity is on trial is oratorical flub-
dub. No more accurate is the state
ment that the theory of evolution is
on trial. But If the peple read un-
derstandingly the evidence to be
offered by experts, many thousands of
them will learn that their former con-
ception of that theory was utterly mis-
taken. Mr.. Bryan, two days before
the case was called, said publicly that
the Tennessee anti-evolut1on law
simply prohibits the evolutionists
from using the public schools for the
purpose Of substituting their kind of
religion for the religion of the masses"
This did not please the counsel for
the defense, who seek to make the
constitutionality of the law the main
issue and religion secondary. Prof.
John r. Neal, senior counsel for
Scopes, said:
I'VE regard Mr.. Bryan's speech as
the most remarkable utterance ever
made by lawyer just before his en-
trance into trial of criminal case.
His speech comes as challenge to the
defense not to confine the test Of the
anti-evolution law to the existing limi-
tation of the constitution Of Tennes-
see or even the United States. but, In
stead. to put on trial the truth or lack
Of truth Of the theory Of evolution /;
the conflict or lack of conflict between
science and religion, having demon
strated, as he apparently expects to
do, at least to his own satisfaction,
that evolution is untrue and that it
Is destructive to Christianity"
Mr.. Bryan's arrival In Dayton was
made the occasion for great demon
stration. He was greeted as a hero,
escorted to his temporary home by a
long parade and banqueted by the
leading club Of the village. before
which he did lot of advance arguing
of the Scopes case. The attorneys for
the defense and some of their experts
scientists and ministers-also ar
rived in the town. But cambridge
Colby. who was to be associated with
Professor Neal, Clarence Darrow, Dud-
ley Field Malone and Arthur Garfield
Hays in the defense. telegraphed that
he was detained by case in New
York. He may show up cater if his
cervices are needed. Earlier in the
week the defense made somewhat
perfunctory attempt to get from Fed
oral Judge Gore in Cookeville, Tenn,
an injunction to halt the trial, citing
che fourteenth amendment to the Con
pti1ution. The Judge denied the petit
%0n on the ground that he had nc
power to interfere with state courts
except in bankruptcy proceedings
that the. allegations were insufficient
and that he was not in the district
where the alleged offense was com.
mitted. Needless to say, this ruling
vas a great relief to Dayton.
Perhaps fresh ammunition for the
Ucopes defense is provided in a new
~ published report of biological re.
searches at Johns Hopkins. in which
1t Is stated that, DR.. Herbert Spencer
Jennings, director of the biological
laboratory, is the first man actually
TO see and control the process of evo-
luton among living things" Accord
ing to the report:
1.-THE evidence of evolution had been
read in the rocks and the structures Of
plants and animals, but unGar the mi
croscope Doctor Jennings WIS able t
follow evolution not as a theory hui
as d. thing that was actually taking
place"
Intensified study" Doctor Jennings
declares. reveals that the hereditary
characteristics do become changed hs
external conditions. Through such di
veFsities. continuing for great nun
hers Of generations, single stocks, uni
form IN their hereditary character
istics. gradually differentiate int