The Planet Mars

Because of the fv;t of Mars being such a cornparatively nea neighbor he has been exciting a great denl of interest, commanding much attention, of late. At long intervals he gets tamelike, becomes sociable and comes quite near us, when glasses of all sgrts, sizes and conditions are leveled at hirii in much the same rnanner as a new star in front of the footlights is ogled by the curious crowds. Still with all the curious gazing but little if anything of importance can be lcarued in relation to him. Even the farreaching Lick telescópe fails to discover much. txeept perhaps to refute the fictitious canal iheory". Whether or not it is inhabited by a race of human beings similar to our own cannot on this visit be told, and unless some tremendous strides are made in the ways and means of terrestrial explorations and discoveries it is reasonably safe to say that it never will be known to the people of this enrth - not at least while remaining here. Whence the spirit of men may roam in voyages of discovery after quitting this muñdane sphere cannot, of course, be guessed. There is, though, one curious feature about the planet that causes much speculation, and that is his fiery red appearance, tvhich by some is attributed to the nature of his soil or surface. That proposition and explanation seems quite improbable and will hardly be accepted by careful thinkers. A uniform redness of the soil, which is also quite improbable, would not be adequate to the task, nor in any way sufficient to account for the appearance of the planet. The only seemingly legitímate expláiiation is that it is due to the color of the atmosphere that surrounds the planet. When we gaze outward into space, the gaze is met on every side by a softening blue vault that is restful to the eyes; but when the peoplo of Mars, if any there be, gaze outward a crimson pink or fiery red vault, something like what we cali a "glorious sunset," meets their visión on every hand which must be quite wearying to the eyes if like ours, but perhaps their eyes are adapted to it. Whether the theory is true or not, it is far more reasonable than any of the others, and at the same time affords agood speculative theme. We know that our pale blut: atmosphere il; just adapted to the support of life as found on ttais planet, and the question is, Can a red colored atmosphere be compounded that wiïl support life? If so, Mars may b peopled; if nol. then there are no people there. ïhis is a good speculative problem fov scientists and farnishes a good chanca for experimental atmosphere making as well as for