Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-31
THE EARTH FOR NAN.
Or. MASON DISCUSSES ITS RELATION
TO THE HUMAN INDUSTRIES.
The Talented Historian Delivers the An
nuai Address Before the Richmond
College Society.

The Third annual reunion OF the Geo.
graphical and Historical Society of Rich
mond College. which took place last night
In the chapel OF the institution, was a
most pleasant occasion, and several hun
dred people attended the meeting.
Professor r. w. Beatwright. the presi-
dent Of the organization. welcomed the
crowd In graceful. weA-worded speech,
In which he briefly sketched the. society's
history After concluding his salutatory
remarks. he introduced the orator OF
the evening, Professor Otis Tuition Mason.
NJ A., Pm. D.. and curator OF the United
States National Museum He compli-
mented Professor Mason most highly.
and presented him TO the audience as
one OF the leading scientists of the world.
THE EARTH AND INDUSTRIES.
Professor Mason. after acknowledging
the compliments paid him by Professor
Boatwright announced that the subject
Of his address would be "TechOgeogra-
ply. or the Relation Of the Earth TO the
Industries OF Man"
Little change has taken place In our
globe since man first stood upon ~,
said the speaker In his opening remarks
mountains, plains, and rivers are almost
the same as when the genus homo nrst
began. The earth IL an organized series
OF forces. which, when separately 'anato-
mixed, present a most interesting study.
In the natural history OF the globe there
Is nothing insignificant 50 far as u con-
Germs the history Of man..
The Professor then sketched picture
OF primitive man, and showed that a.
most from the first mortals were as
posed 10 barter and trade. Industries
were engendered by the SOIL climate. etc.
OF the lands in which our forefathers
lived. The EsquimauX, despite thelI IN.
vironments, had iDgeniOusly wrought out
their peculiar race The SHOWS were their
highways, and material for houses, the
whale. the moose. the walrus. the rem
deer. and the northern dogs were their
food and raiment.
Further south. where there were
vegetation, forests. minerals, aounG an
the type became higher ~
Proceeding southwark into another
geological and botanical area, where
cereals grow, our ancestors attained
AFFECTED BY CIRCUMSTANCES.
And so II is throughout the globe.
Where the most favorable circumstances
| occur. there man obtains the highest cul-
turc. and civilization.
Incidentally the speaker remarked that
M to the time America was discovered
| there was not single domestic milk
| giving animal in our land. To impress
upon his hearers what the want OF the
| lactean fluid slgnihed Professor Mason
| pictured the distress that would exist
| among the babies of America to-day n
they were deprived Of our cows and
goats.
THE EARTH" said the speaker. ''is the
4 mother Of man. 1t feeds US, clothes us.
| furnishes MS material for shelter gives us
| methods of transportation, and is the
| reservoir of power for locomotion. II IS
| the prime factor in all civilization-the
| mother Of art and poetry-and the die
| tatOr OF science in every age. II is the
| environments OF each race which has
given IL its language ana art.
The speaker concluded his address with
| several interesting statements relative 10
geographical Virginia, which for political
| reasons. has not been divided according
| TO its natural demarkatlon. II should have
| been divided from the sister States by
| geographical causes. for originally II was
provided with the best water front I'm
| the world, the best climate, the best
| soil. and the best game. The soil has be
come less productive of late, but under
| the management of "a skilful race, II
may yet produce great secrets. More
| over the time will come when our noun
| tains, teeming with their rich ores. will
| tell yet greater story of civilization 10
our citizens.
Professor Mason was literally APP
plauded at the close Of his address,
| which was a most interesting one.