144 Minnesota Academy of Science 



Fig. 19. Paleolithic boucher, found in a glacial gravel ter- 

 race at Newcomerstown, Ohio. (Plate XVI.) 



Difficulties of This Interpretation. 



It may be stated, probably with entire truthfulness, that 

 no great scientific principle was ever established without meet- 

 ing with obstacles. Sometimes such obstacles become suffi- 

 ciently numerous and powerful to retard for a time the accept- 

 ance of the great principle, but with time and further research 

 the great principle has risen again and again, sometimes from 

 various sources, and perhaps where least expected, and has 

 received such powerful presentation, with such frequent af- 

 firmation, that it has prevailed over all opposition, and the 

 obstacles themselves have been turned into supporters instead 

 of opponents. 



So with the idea of paleolithic man in America, it has had 

 opposition, and meets with obstacles such that sometimes it 

 seems faint, and almost overwhelmed ; but, though almost 

 crushed to the earth, it has survived and risen again each 

 time. 



The opponents of this idea can be divided into two classes : 



1. Those who are passive and hesitate because they are 

 not convinced, or because they have high respect for those 

 who are outspoken and active, as leaders in opposition, never 

 having taken the trouble to make independent investigation. 

 Sometimes such passive opponents attempt some little re- 

 search, and I am sorry to say that it has happened that some- 

 times they have not been able to interpret the facts with any 

 show of independence when such facts have leaned away from 

 the dicta of their leaders, and in some cases they have smoth- 

 ered the correct interpretation under a flood of hesitation and 

 doubt and of adverse suggestions. 



2. Another class of objectors are such as have pronounced 

 honestly in favor of some wrong idea, and who have now 

 some individual hobbies to ride and cannot brook any objec- 

 tion. They are like Darius Green and his flying machine. 

 They are ready to risk everything else for their hobbies. 



The first class of obstacles are not of much importance, 

 except only that they swell the numbers of the opposition and 



