It was intended to clarify the difference between dribbling and carrying the ball. Because what passes for dribbling can sometimes be more in the nature of a carry.Was palming intended to keep players with enormous hands from having a huge advantage?
The way today's players often use their palms to cup the ball to better control it ...even sometimes seemingly to hold it for a split second between dribbles ...were whistled as palming violations in past decades. But nowadays refs just ignore it. The rule technically still exists, but seems like refs have decided they're just no longer gonna enforce that one.