The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-12-10

Switzerland: go far toward proving the
identity of man with the quaternary,
or mastadon period. but the discover
les on the Missouri river amount almost
to demonstration. On the river fiat
the animal was found deeply imbedded
in clay III position which showed that
he had sunk in the soft earth. He
might have been forced into this treach
erous ground by sudden fright con-
trived by the natives. At al events
the huge beast sank, unable to extri.
cate himself, but this infantile race of
men had no weapons for his destruc-
ton except fire, and this was kindled
about the creatures head, as the CAL
cined bones and charcoal still bear wit
ness. AS further proof that the
beast was pursued, broken stone
arrowhead was found in contact with
the large bone of the thigh. Here we
appear to witness the whole conflict !:
the animal inca utiously ventures on
the confines of a marshy jungle; is
goaded onward by the stings of flying
darts, sinks in the soft earth, and is
finally destroyed by fire.
So much hinges upon this class of
proofs in establishing the early exist
ence of man that ] feel justified in
citing still another instance. A skele-
ton was taken out in Missouri from un-
derneath twenty feet of alluvial drift.
When excavating the fossil, unusual
care was taken to mark all the sur.
roundings. Many of the rudest
arrow-heads, of the earliest stone period
were found, one Of which was beneath
the large femur bone. In the absence
of any proof 20 the contrary we are
certainly justified in concluding that
the stone arrow head lay on the ground
before the animal fell, and therefore
the man who manufactured or who
used the stone weapon existed before
the animal persisted.
This series of proofs is furnished to
show that man existed before the pre-
sent climatic conditions were estab.
llshed, when the earth was inhabited
by boreaH animals only, in company
with the horse and man. The Able
Bourgeois thinks he has discovered
vestiges Of human existence in the ter
tlary period, but what his proofs are
have not as yet had an opportunity to
examine.
These two preliminary points are all
that | propose to present for your con-
sideration this evening. On the sub
lect of the mental condition of primeval
man in his natural state | have ex-
amlned voluminous arguments, and
though readily admit the doctrine of
degradation. or degencracy from high
er to a lower level exhibits a long
series of facts not easily answered or
set aside, yet the doctrine is not in
harmony with we'll known laws through
which other sciences are made compre-
hensible, while the theory Of progress
sion is in full natural accord and work
ing with all the other laws controlling
our planetary system.
Through all the terrible social revul-
sions of historic time, no branch of the
Aryan or Semitic families has degenera-
ted from civilization into savagery. 4
people may for time have lost much
and sunk into semi bar barism, but still
they retained sufficient of the arts of
higher life to make the difference be-
tween them and the original savage
Unreasonable.
We should add that the Doctor used
the material Of the Academy, stone
implements, sketches, &C.. &C., to illus
trate his arguments, etc.