Marquis James, in his coverage of the Scopes trial, encapsulated the tension of the debate between religious belief and scientific understanding, capturing the essence of the trial's cultural significance.
William Jennings Bryan believes that John T. Scopes, defendant in the evolution trial, 'is doing more harm to the teachers of the country than to any other class.' This harm, he declared today, would be 'indefinitely increased if his (Scopes') views as to the independence of the teacher were established.' Bryan expressed the belief that the welfare of teachers is best preserved under the 'present system.' Under this system, he said, personal views of the teachers are left free, and the control of what is to be taught is left to those who employ the teachers.
