PRESENT-DAY BIOLOGICAL THOUGHT 55 



some more or less practical applications, as only that 

 very small, more highly educated portion of the public 

 ever can approach a true conception of the scientific phi- 

 losophy of the time. As Professor McClung, wistfully 

 puts it: 



"At a time when science is proclaimed the chief reli- 

 ance of organized society in securing perpetuation ; when 

 through its ministrations, human life is materially 

 lengthened, made more effective and enjoyable; when 

 the uncertainties of existence, and the terrors of the un- 

 known are yearly being reduced in significance, then we 

 witness the paradox of vicious and unreasoning assaults 

 upon the methods and conclusions of science by legisla- 

 tive enactments to cripple its progress and limit its 

 teaching. 



"It would seem from all this that science is in our day 

 and generation, but not of it. This is no doubt largely 

 the fault of scientists who have ever been inclined to 

 become absorbed in their pursuit of knowledge and to 

 manifest little concern with the use that is to be made 

 of it."^ 



Certainly nothing is added to the intellectual probity 

 and honesty of scientific men, when some of our most 

 important publishing houses print editions of biological 

 texts in which every reference to evolution is deleted, 

 just to please the less intelligent regions of the country. 

 Such a procedure is especially bad when everyone knows 

 that both author and publisher believe things quite dif- 



