Evening star., 1925-07-21

All the fuss over the Tennessee evo-
luton case failed to get the country
at large greatly excited. Public opin.
ion, as reflected by editorial comment
apparently just refused to accept the
view that "a fight to the death be
tween evolution and the Bible" was
involved.
The affair at Dayton is called by the
st. Paul Pioneer-Press IAN America n
episode, completely incomprehensible
to any but Americans" And the
Pioneer-Press adds. when it is all
over we shall go on about our bust
ness as usual, believing whatever NAV
appeal to us as satisfactory and ra
tional. But ii is interesting stuff for
the dog days" Admitting that the
case may have scientific Importance
the Butte Post concludes that most
of us will be compelled to confess that
in fact, we know less about it all than
we thought we knew" Advice to the
public to read the news stories. and
intersperse them with reading of the
Bible and of books on science" is Civ
en- by the Little Rock Arkansas Demo
crat. with the conclusion: The read
ing program will bring you many a
pleasant hour and it will strengthen
your conviction that the how of evo-
luton may be explained, but the why
never will be
X X X X
Naturally. much of the comment
turns upon William Jennings Bryan.
outstanding figure in the forces
against evolution. Tribute to the fight
ing qualities of Mr.. Bryan is paid by
the Knoxville Sentinel. Always,
says the Sentinel, "he is the same in.
rincible Bryan. Neither logic nor
ridicule can penetrate his armor. He
has been laughed at more than any
other mortal. but the weapon that
most surely kills weaker men hurtles
harmlesSiy at his feet. 1t is the
Bryan we know who canes to Dayton
older in years, but otherwise un-
changed, save that his great jaws are
more grimly set and his determine
ton stronger than ever to rule this
newest storm and ride triumphant on
its waves
Viewing the Bryan at Dayton in
quite different light. the Baltimore
Evening Sun declares: He has been
overtaken by the fate that is perhaps
more to be dreaded than any other
by q man of power. He has outiived
his strength. He is now in the posi-
ton of Asquith in England. who
cannot be elected even to college
presidency; like Lloyd George, who
once ruled the British Empire and
now cannot muster a CorporalS guard:
like Clemenceau, who inquired of a
visitor why he came to see a dead
man Noting Mr.. Bryan's complaint
of Misrepresentation and misunder-
standing, the New York Times asks
Does IL not enter into his mind that
at least a part of the blame rests upon
himself? 1t has been said that no
one can write a man down except
himself Mr.. Bryan has both written
and talked himself down."
"The trouble with the Tennessee
case" the Lansing State journal con
tends, "is that some men whose be-
lief in religious matters is too narrow
to be any constructive aid to the
cause of religion are pictured-or
possibly it should be said are picturing
themselves-as the only true defend.
ers of the Christian faith" Queries
as to what has really been on trial in
Tennessee brings from the Milwaukee
Journal the reply that lit is whether
pubic schools of Tennessee, and of
other States, too, shall be more rigidly
limited by theological dogma than
Mr.. Bryan's own denomination Is
Wiling to limit it's preachers and its
members
mot IngersoIl. not Darrow, not all
the agnostics. atheists and scoffers in
the United States" insists the Lynch:
burg News, have ever done or can
ever do as much to turn the coming
generation of Americans from Chris
tianity as William jennings Bryan OF
Nebraska, Florida and Dayton, Tenn
is threatening TO do. Neither the
bigots of science and pure ratienalisn,