ON ITS TRIAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 July 1925, Page 5

ON ITS TRIAL

THEORY OF EVOLUTION

UNUSUAL AMERICAN CASE

TESTING A STATE LAW. tiY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION OOP V RIGHT, NEW YORK, July 10. The trial has* commenced ot John Scopes, a young teacher ot biology, who is charged that he taught- the Darwinian theory ol; evolution m violation of a recent Tennessee statute forbidding instruction on matter vs contrary to the letter ot the Bible on the subject of creation. The first stage of the trial was reached to-day with the drafting of a new indictment assuring the strict legality ol the accusation satisfying the defence, which expects the case will go through State Supreme Court to the Federal Supreme Court.

The defence maintains that the isvsue for determination is’ whether education is to be made to conform to the texts of any religion contrary to the constitution. Mr. W. J. Bryan, whose son has also joined the staff of prosecuting attorneys, totalling nine, says the issue is evolution versus Christianity. He declares .that the trial uncovers an attack which, has b-eeii inado covently against CJlxris^tiaixity for a generation. It will bring out information upon which a death grapple between evolution and Christianity will be decided, and if evolution wins Christianity goes, for the two cannot stand together. The selection of the jurymen will proceed with great care, as the defence, if permitted, will present fifty scientific witnesses and prolong the trial a.t least a month. If found guilty Scopes is liable to a fine of between one and five hundred dollars.

It is generally conceded, insofar as this court is concerned, that the proceedings will be purely perfunctory. Scopes is expected to be found guilty, largely owing to the prejudice locally against evolution. The real contest will then begin in the highest courts. In The meantime, the most noticeable feature is Dayton’s disappointment that the trial, which was expected to attract thousands, has drawn only about fifteen hundred, of whom many are newspaper men, photographers and concessionares, the latter grumbling at the lack of. business. Hotels have drastically cut their rates. Moreover, although i«s was intimated that the most brilliant scientist's in the United States would rush to the aid of the defence, the counsel for the latter is now most reticent regarding their names, which seems to indicate that >a considerable section of the country, including some of the keenest minds, is determined to ta-lce only an amused interest in the proceedings at what is now jocularly called “Monkeyville.”