West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-06-11
A DOOMED CONTINENT.
Tho Startling Prophecy or o Noted
Scientist
America to Become oradasiiy Exhansted
snd ynnt for the Abode of the Cae-
easlAn Race Civilization
Eatod.


hcct upon that state after state OF the
union wilt decay like Nevada until this
whole continent shall become barren
wilderness inhabited only by savages.
Yet this Ia the prophecy recently made
by Prof Otis Mason of the bureau OF
ethnology OF the national museum. The
professor saidi
"In order that this may be under
stood, II Is first necessary 20 explain
that this western part Of the world,
known as North and south America, n
from the scientific point Of view an in
ferior continent as compared with the
land masses OF the other hemispherca
by that Is meant that, while superior To
Europe, Asia or Africa In point OF veg.
etable productivencss, it Is less adapted
for the support Of animal lifo. To show
that this Is SO make little comparison
for yourself between tho beasts OF this
hemisphcrc and those Of tho other. The
elephant OF the old world Is represented
here by the tapir. What we have as
substitute for tho camel il tho llama,
which Is just big enough and strong
enough TO carry what would be load
for man. The lion and tiger of Asia
and Africa are represented ON this side
of the earth by little more than big
cats.
"Ilut TO arrive nj the most marked
exhibition OF this contrast you cannot
do better than consider the monlxeys,
which are most highly developed OF all
beasts. approaching very nearly Co
man. What Is there 20 be found In tho
Americas to- correspond with the
anthropoid apes OF the old world? The
gorilla, which uses club; the chin
panzee, which Is easily taught % walt
upon the table and perform other do
nestle duties, and tho ourang, which
presents so many lilSenesses To the
human being, are represented on this
side of the world by miserable little
monkeys with tails.
THUS IL Is that this part of the earth
Is termed an inferior continent, because
IL Is not able Go produce or support such
high developments OF animal life ns
arc found In tho other part. Civilized
man exists here to-day. not as n natural
product, but as an importation.
ITO put II plainly, the so-called Amer
ican people have campcd over this con
tincnt regardless OF their future. They
have dclvcd into the soil, chopped into
the mountains md used up the land un-
I'll thorc starcs them Ia the face the
| almost Immediate prospect OF stnrva-
ton. IA for the state OF Nevada, wc
have not been there twenty-five years
and its resources have been exhausted.
In other words, IL will almost immcdi-
atcly be unable 20 support a population.
The people who inhabit IL are Obliged
TO go because they can no longer make
their living there, and IL IA simply
question Of short time when IL will
become dead state and so lapse into
the condition of territory as impossi-
bic 20 revive into the living condition OF
state as IL II were a district on the
moon.
''rhc painful reflection incident 20
the subject Is that other states, II not
all Of them, are destined sooner or
later 10 follow Nevada's example. The
population on this continent cannot
necessarily survive the means OF sub
sistence afforded II by the country. II
what science says is true, the white
man has got 20 go. There has been
talk 10 the effect that the Chinese must
vanish, but IL must be confessed that
they are very much better adapted TO
continue existence on this hemisphere
than ourselves for the obvious reason
that they will svrvive us here, and
that they will continue IN their own
manner the civilization which we have
made On attempt 20 start.
''Dut tic Caucasian, II the scientific
men are 20 bc believed, will not be able
20 support existence on this hemisphere
after tho capital, In tho way OF sgri-
cultural and mineral resources, has been
exhausted, ms it must be soon lie VIII
disappear. The natural question is by
what proccss2 II Is very evident. When
a superior race becomes poor and there
by unable 20 maintain its superiority,
Il lapEcs into the condition Of poor
white II you will Journey through
tho south and take notice OF the man
ner In which such conditions as those
have become operative, you will per
ceive that the Caucasian does IN this
way become thriftless, incapable Of ex-
ertion, eventually approaching 20 the
savage. In other words lie loses his
status Ia the scale Of creation.
Through the progressive exhaustion
Of the resources Of the country state
after state will necessarily become un.
inhabitable, because u will be incapa-
bic Of supporting g population. Thus
viii come about the depOpulation Of
one state after another--uf course by q
slow process through many years-and
there viii be presented the remarkable
phenomenon Of tho dropping FROM the
union ~ these states Guceessively, be-
cause they have come % bo no longer
entitled o. representation under the
law by senators and Representatives
Nevada wiz simply be the irst stats
tosucouub - the operation Of this IN
egitablo law. The outlook Is melan.
choly. That Is not - be denied. It Is
not pleasant 81 consider che frame 81
mind ~ The last civilized man on This
continent few centuries hence. staad.
iug on n sand hiil, where once the maize
luEuriously grew, and shedding a silent
tear of Affection on The past u n conti-
nent which IS given up % savaQery
ever more
a Great mant
John Knox is the town marshal of