The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-19

A Scientific opiu on 'he Effect Ih'' II
Wa. Iur ~ American.


Wa. iur ~ American.
America IS not rich IN the relies ~ an
tlqulty. Travellers tell US We arc 100 ne"
and TOO fresh 10 be interesting. Even
when we point 20 the moHni-ouiicers ana
ciir-dwellers we are met win the titoty
that they were not indigenous. hut were
an importation from Carsuaea. or ~
lantis. or China. or some ot1ef ii' away
land At last. hOwev Pr, We arr 'eHiNi
20 our rights. and may be above soon
10 indulge the proud sense Oh uii.Hl lieu
proprietorship over preh'stor'- ,lFl' ..-
ton. such as 10 was. The iu Han b. really
our own. tCtrms. war dal'es hHd az. ahd
il IS only necessary now 20 extend me
Monroe otrino and cal hands oG &C. I'D
outsiders who are strlvu 90 c'lfNe ns
cf the credit due us. such are The re-
nections aroused De- an article ~rit''" ny
The German traveller. ar Edward seer
I'm the frugsischc Jtirhucnef or EciHH.
Ia Expresses his views as tciows.
During the sixteenth century. az
time when &c was much more difficult 20
determine the size and shape OF the
American continent. the idea prevailed
that the ancestors Of the Indians reacnei
the continent I'm vessels from a long dis
lance. Later IL was common 90 picture
the ancient Americans as crossing the
Bering sea in large masses. The proofs
offered m defense OF these theories are
not very convincing The bid story toit
hv Aristotle that ships from Carthage
sailed vest from the Pillars Of Hercules,
until. after many days. they discovered
great un.nhahitei islands with large rive
crs. will hardly be accepted as pre-
Columbian discovery OF America ard the
Pafonic fairy talcs about Atlantis are
irst as unreliable. Ancient Chinese am
miles east OF China. AMI this has been
thought t0 refer 90 Mexico. But Fu-San
was e. country well known 10 the Chinese.
and the dos rirtiOus -iycn Of ITS rulers
all the customs of its people describe
it AS altogether AsiatIe Fu-San was proc
baby one of the islands north 0I Japan,
but certainly not Mexico. Tho attempts
t0 dciuce the beginnings of American
civilization from foreign sources are a'
the moro curious as nobody tries 90 prove
that Chinese civilization began Boo Egypt
or Indian civilization in Chalioa. The
Mfvicans relate chat their ancestors lived
as hunters in the north The Aztecs say
that their fathers lived ON ono island ON
the sea. II is very probably that some Of
the Mexican tribes only regarded the
north as their ancient home because the
north appeared 90 them strange and im-
pcuouabic Tho tale that the Az.or'
came from over the water may Doe exc
piafned bv tho fact that thov settled ON
Ian island In "a salt water lake.
Mexican civilization shows that n ho-
lonaol strictly f0 the soil where 30 dee
volor g. and 30 Influenced the whole of
the ocnfirrnt. only "a small portion of
tic Noffh American tribes lived cx-
clusfyoiv as hunters and fishermen Even
tho wild prairie Indians. tine Dakotas,
CHEYENNE. and Nandaus. know some-
fn.n., of agriculture. In languages. rou-
zion. customs ami tribal constitution all
Indians show I'd wonderful similarity 20
tho lfaxieans and f0 each other. which
iolds fo The assrmufirn that All came
from Il common stock"
Tho writer thinks that cross-ehapod
ornaments and hforoslvnhies cannot well
Dee taken as proofs of d.. nrehi.for.. wise
b.. of Christian missionaries. nor 90 Chi-
reee sfens prove the presenee OF B.ll-
ristie monks. Inventions aro often made
10. different countries ar the same period.
am DO not prove that c0mmm cation bee
tween tho inventors has taken rlaro 4
close examination of rho ancient mvtho-
Iol-r of the Indians shows fbaf-allfions
were made 20 please the 9naniafls Bee
fore tho arrival OF the latter there vas
no leeenl pointing to "a European or.efn
OF The ancient legends or tha Gods whose
deeds they describe. on thi. point dr.
Seller SAWS.