The herald., 1894-01-07
ABOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Conditions Conducive to the
Progress Of Civilization.
A Novel and High View Of Local
features.
Some Reasons why This Part of the { tate
Should Become the Center
OF the Highest Pro-
gress.

Sheldon has the following valuable pa
per on Southern California: Conditions
Conducive to Progress of Civilization:
Man is endowed with the germs OF in
tellectual and moral growth, and civili-
cation results from their development
No study is more interesting and profit
able than that of the conditions under
which human progress takes place or ia
arrested. Leisure from manual toll is
essential to the successful development
OF the intellectual and moral faculties.
There must be time for observation Of
the phenomena of nature in their vari-
GUS phases, and for inquiry and thought
touching the laws that govern them.
These mental operations cannot be car
ried on with effect when the body ie
worn and enervated by continual phys-
cal labor. In order, therefore, that this
leisure may be had the conditions must
be sucn that sufficiency of food and
reasonable comforts of life can be ac-
quired without overwork. This is not
only philosophical, but it is proved by
the worlds experience. The process OF
civilization began not on the sterile
plains, nor in the rugged mountains, but
where the soil was fertile and the eli
mate promoted an abundant growth OF
food products without exhaustion OF the
physical powers. Nor did civilization
germinate in country of exclusive pas
tt,1raai tt,1raaii pursuits, and when hes been
transplanted there it mas not proceeded
to the highest development. 1t has
never hourished exuberantly where the
climate requires the consumption Of
quantities OF carbonaceous food in order
to maintain bodily warmth, nor where
the waste of tissue from heat makes the
consumption of liberal quantities of
heterogeneous food necessary. Ex-
tremes of heat and cold are both ener-
waiting to body and mind, and in such
climates longevity is not distinguish
ing characteristic of the people. The
physical conditions which affect the
termination and progress of civilization
are soil, climate and the aspects of ma
ture.
1t has not been precisely determined
whether civilization began in Egypt,
India or Persia. 1t is certain that the
& art was made where agriculture was a
leading pursuit of the people, and agri-
culture was first resorted to in a dry
country and where irrigation was neces-
eEFy tO lOOQ CIOpS. LII Wdb III
troduced afterward into localities where
rains supplied moisture. The best au-
thorities assert that planting began in
Egypt and afterward WAS adopted in
other fertile districts of Asia. In the
: earliest period of which we heve any
knowledge the arts were considera bly, de-
veloped in Egypt, and some of the SCI
ences were understood. In India the
people had knowledge of methods for
producing human necessities ana COM
forts, and social institutions were ad-
vanced, as compared with those OF sur
rounding peoples. Both Egypt and
India were celebrated for food produc-
ton. Persia was early distinguished for
strong men and for knowledge OF the
arts of warfare. 1t is supposed that the
Aryans originated in the neigh borhood
OF Mount Caucasus and spread from
there into India and later into Europe.
Climate in Persia is promotive of
health and strength, and the country
is productive. Climate in Egypt and
India ia cassed as warm, but it is not
80 immoderate as to produce serious ener-
vation of the physical and mental pow
ere. That the Egyptians and Indus
did not continue to advance, but have
apparently retrogressed, is alleged to be
due not to climate. but to other influ.
ences. 1t has been query of philo-
sophie minds why, as conditions as to
soil and climate remain aa they were,
there has not been progress in civiliza-
tion, and why. in instead of being en-
quilted in ignorance and superstition
the Egyptians and Indus have not kept
their place in the front of human ad-
vancement. The Aryans in India soon
came to a standstill, but westward they
developed the civilization that exists in
Western Europe. The causes OF this
difference have been studied by his
torians, philosophers and scientists, and
it is accounted for, in part at least, as O
result OF natural conditions other than
soil and climate.
highest civilization the faculties of rea-
Son, Imagination and taste must be har-
inoniously and co-ordinately developed.
In a plain and uninteresting country
the reason is liable to be developed out
of proportion to the imaginer
tion and athetics-that in a country of
flowers and exquisite scenery there is
liable to be an undue growth OF the
taste; and that where the aspects of
nature are terrible there is tendency
to an abnormal development of the
imagination, which Hm0thers the other
faculties and produces credulity and
superstition. 1t is argued that in India
the huge mountains, tremendous tor
rents, dreadful hurricanes, ponderous
and ferocious animals, and monstrous
and poisonous reptiles, are phenomena,
that among people not advanced in
knowledge of the laws of nature. are re-
garded as supernatural and manifesto
tions of the wrath of the gods, and in
whose presence man seems small and
helpless. AS in the early stages OF de-
velopment the reason became
atrophied the Indus fell into the
most grovelling superstition and
became victims of the most
crushing tyranny. Similar phenomena
exist in other fertile portions of Asia,
ard this and the further fact that much
of it is sterile are assigned as reasons
why civilization has not progressed in
that continent. 1t is known TACT also
that superstition is contagious. Unless
the Egyptians and Indus have been
omasculated Of the civilizable quality
through centuries of superstition and
oppression there ia no reason, now that
the laws OF nature are understood, and
can be taught TO them. why they may
not be started in new career of ad-
vancement. for natural conditions favor
able to progress still exist.
In Europe conditions in some respects