The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-27

.
from Montana, by r. w. Raymond, Esq, Il
: his paper. the New fork Engineering ana
Mining Journal. MIR. Raymond looks al
matters practically, and speaks plainly. We
trust his letters may be becontinued. 4
The Antiquity of Man.
Before the period known as glacial, tenn
perate. if not tropical crinlate. prevailed even
/ into Arctic regions. Remains of the fauna
and fiora of temperate climes are found IN
preglacian formations Of Arctic countries.
! The glacial epoch marks important changes
prominent among which is distribution OF
organic life. Various animals are forced to
perish or migrate to more congenial climate.
There is good reason to believe that before
this period the continent of the Eastern and
Western hemisphere were joined together,
both at Behring's strait and by the plateau
/ which is known to extend from Valentia to
/ New Foundland, and which requires but a
! come drv land. ga
The question arises, how far has men been
a witness of these changes? The close OF the
drift epoch is now generally assigHed as
marking the first appearance of the human
races, though considerably earlier period is
claimed by some investigate $. Man is. evi-
IDENTIFY contemporary with many extinct AMI
mails. However these views may conflict
| with our pre-conceived opinions, they must
be given their due weight as a part of seien-
| tfic inquiry. The investigator ,aust not be
Itramnleied by any fear of the consequences
OF pushing the search for the truth to the ut
most. The past historic period Of man May
be divided into two epochs, viz: The stone
epoch. and the metal epoch. The former
may be subdivided into lst. The period in
which man was associated with animals now
extinct. I'd, That in which he is formed in
| company with specier now extailt but in diff
ferent localities from their present habit.
| may also be called the aye of polished stanc !;
The primeyal man was a savage, not superior
in his intellectual powers to the present ma
tive of Australia. Retreating foreheads and
protruding jaws mark the skulls Of these early
deliiZelis OF the earth. The evidences are
that they were not only carniverous, eating
raw flesh but cannibals. Yet the remains OF
funeral obseryances indicate that notwitii-
standing his brutality of instinct and low
state of intellect. there was i'm the primeyal
man a redeeming spirit of aspiration, a look
ing forward to something beyond this life. a
horror OF annihilatioE. The least investiga-
tons tend to prove that man has existed as
ri..,,,, N,
Europe. It was not until the discovery OF.
iron that man was able TO achieve bis con-
quest over nature. civilization Is largely due
to the modification of climate; for 1t is eyi-
dent that during the intense cold at the close
| of the DRIFT period mans entire faculties must
have been devoted to the task of maintaining
life. Civilization is only possible under most
favorable external conditions.
Own TsseSr HoMlesteads.
ls&1 One great secret OF the prosperity of the
United States and the rapid increase OF its
population. IS compared with that of other
countries. is this, that in addition to our free
institutions large proportion Of the masses
own their own homesteads, thus encouraging.
the people OF other lands TO seek an abiding
place among us. 1t is estimated that our
population is forty-three millions, OF which
about six millions own their dwellings aud
ths soil on which they stand. As a contrast,
we can turn TO England which with a pop
ulation of some tkirty-tWo millions has only
about thirty thousand people who own any
land. The a.istocracy. inheriting the old
tenure SYSTEM have got possession OF most
of the soil. and the poor are nearly ground to
powder while their toll goes to Improve the
domains of the rich. They feel nesinterest in
the country which they inhabi: and have no
confident hope in the future. They must be
a fOrbearing people. and accustomed to op-
preston. or they would long since have re-
volted at the feudal bondage winch oppresses
their energies and prevents them from enter
ing upon any WIDE field Of enterprise. To
this fact of having no abiding interest IN the
landed Inheritance of the country. and no
prospect Of improving their condition, we
may attribute to this people the great lack OF
mechanical invention and discovery as COM
pared with the inelustriai classes of the Unitea
S1ateS. InSteAtl #OI AuVdHGifly,s IHc NOIkItI
classes Of England are going backward. the
soil is being rapidly absorbed in fewer hands.
and the population has small prospect OF
being much increased in the coming days
Sacramento Union.
A MErH1T1c STREAM "A Chicago passr Of
recent date says
The scented water Of the Chigaco river as
it was. is slowly making its royal p,ogrfss to
the Gulf. spreading nausea and elevating
noses as il goes. Our citv officials wisely de-
ferred their voyage 81 celebration TO Joliet
until ii had passed thr peiat. which was only
day or two ago. and now they will meet no
polluted waters on their war. Peoris, low.
i anxiously awaiting The higE-tened arrival,
and 50 all along the Mississippi. But they
can endure for ! day what we have had
stand for years, and - We do not pity them
excseaingly.