Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-11-23

EDrTos ExrRnMxxf: The lsetur,
Of Professor Harvey. last Mondan
evening. on the origin Of man on
this continent. wss highly interest.
ing. II fully Indicated . lifetime Of
study and research. Many points
Of resemblance were pointed out Be.
tween the races inhabiting this con.
tinent and those Of the Old World
The proximity Of the two continents
at Behring Straits indicated the feas-
Utility Of the migration OF nomadic
races from one to the other. He
considered it probable that our alb
orisines were Of Monaghan origin;
that Asia might claim the honor Of
being the birthplace Of the human
family. But, considering the high
and remote antiquity he assigns to
the human race some 3OO,OQO
years-it must be quite uncertain as
to what part of the globe it original
ly belonged. The changes effected
during such long interval. by the
operation of internal forces, must
have materially altered the geo.
grapby of the globe. Instead of
Asia. perhaps some continent in the
depths of the Pacific Ocean, may
claim the honor of man origin, and
is now preserving his fossilized re-
mains. for the inspection Of savants
some 100000 years hence. These
astounding conclusions concerning
the antiquity Of man are highly dis
turbing in their nature, and lead to
endless questions as to the truth Of
our commonly received opinions as
taught from childhood. In short,
we find ourselves forced out upon
sea of investigation; old landmarks
fast disappearing. and every one
thrown upon his own resources.
Biologists formerly supposed that
our history was confined to the Allu-
vial period, and some thought that
the Mosaic chronology would amply
include that period; but the dis
covery of human implements in
post pliocene strata, carrying the race
back through and far beyond the
Glacial period, completely upsets the
Mosaic account of the origin of man.
No 5000 years, nor its application
into homogeneous periods, is Of
any avail; periods that make this
globe with its vegetable kingdom
precede the Sun, its neutral parent.
The custom much in vogue, Of
laying down theories and then ran
sacking all nature to prove them.
is about done away with. The n9e
no,c calls for facts to build its theories
upon, and reserves the right to
change, or alter it's opinions, as new
discoveries may require. The growth
of ideas is slow, and it is we'll. We
think it was William Smith, of Eng
land, who in 1916, first set the ex-
ample of discarding all preconceived
notions and building only upon facts
as they might be discovered. For
time it was thankless work. Now,
that theology is divorced from re-
ligion, it is an easy task. None lose
caste by IN honest outspoken ex-
preston of opinion. Our thinkers
and scholars are no longer weighed
down by the nightmare of super
stitipn. The relics of the gloom and
darkness of the middle ages are fast
being dispelled. The rack, dungeon
and other implements of torture, are
no longer used to uphold despotism,
or as dicipline for the soul. Let the
student of Nature be thankful that
the Genius of Liberty protects, and
even the devotees OF old opinion
should DO grateful, that blind ia
tuity no longer impels them to re-
strain free inquiry, the harbinger of
progress and reform.
FREE INQUIRY.
INAsMUcH as our thanksgiving tur-