The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-10-16

EtAKNid mounds OF Ohio, IN
kxt-N 49, the valley Of the
Mississippi and In
Mexico. some OF
which are carved In
the form OF human heads Of an unmia-
taksbly Monaghan type. says Macmil-
lane. Soon after the discovery OF
America the question Of the origin Of
lis Inhabitants became a fertile source
Of conjecture among speculative think
ers. Probably Cregorio Garcia, mis-
slonary who had for twenty years lived
In South America. was the hrst 10 re-
joct the general opinion that they we're
a new race OF beings sprung from the
soil they inhabited and 70 suggest for
them an Asiatic source. He published
his views on the question In a work en-
titled "The Origin Of the Indians OF the
New World" valencia. 1000. wherein
he expresses himself as opposed to the
aut0chthonous character OF the inhab-
itants and points out reasons for think
ing that the country had been peopled
by Tartars and Chinoce Brerewood al
80. In his "Dlverslties Of Languages and
Religions" 1890. assigned the Amer
lean people an eastern and chiefly Tar
tar origin. But Hugh Grotius argued
that North America was peopled from
a Scandinavian stock, though probably
the Peruyians were from China.
Coming to more recent times, may
be mentioned Prof Smith Barton Of
Pennsylvania. who. In his New Views
Of the Origin Of the Tribes and Nations
OF America" contends that they are
descended from Aslatie nations. Though
he is unable 10 point to any particular
source nom which they have emanated.
And JohnDelaheid's Enquiries into the
Origin Of the Antiquities Of America"
lead him 10 the conclusion that the
Mexicans were from the ripper nations
Of Hindustan and Egypt and that the
more barbarous red men were from the
Mongol stock. Alexander Won Hum
boldt during his travels In South Amer
lea gave the weight Of his vast knowl-
edge and shrewd observation 10 a con-
slderaton OF the subject. In their hab-
lie OF life, In their arts and leading
ideas and In their form Of government.
In their personal appearance. as the
yellowlsh hue OF their eompiexions and
the Chinese cast Of features. more par
tlcularly as noticed among the tribes
OF Peru and Brazil. he saw indubltable
evidence OF an Asiatlc origin. Every
where he dlscerned indications. not Of
a primitive race. but Of the scattered
remnants Of a civilization early lost. II
Is 10 be earnestly hoped that an In
Quiry 90 full Of deep interest may not
be allowed to die out for want Of or
ganized effort 10 examine and estab-
lish the prehistoric connection Of these
early inhabitants Of America with the
old world. possibly with the earliest
dynasiiea Of Egypt. before the ravages
OF time and advancing civilization
have eiIaced all traces. These traces
are still visible and within reach; they
are revealed In the buried cities o
trail America. in elaborate inscr
on the massive stone-work OF he4s.1
and Guatemala and In other decorative
masonry Of a people who have LEFT be-
hind no other vestige Of their existence
saving the outcast wanderers who still
haunt the forest and the prairie.
The question. then naturally arises.
may not the Chinese and other half
civilized nations Of Asia In their pre-
historic migratlons TO the shores OF
America. have carried with them not
only a knowledge Of the tobacco plant
and lis use but also the seed Of the
planti Certainly they would do so at
one period or another with such things
as could be conveniently carried for
the supply OF their own immediate
wants. A knowledge and use Of the
tobacco plant In China before the days
OF Columbus IL established; incidental
mention IL made OF tobacco In their
national records Of the year 1900. Il
has been the custom Of every writer on
the subject to decry all attempts to
seek for the origin Of the habit In any
part Of the old world. DR.. Cieland. In
his learned treatise on The History
and Properties Of Tobacco" (Glasgow,
iStOl. dismisses the inquiry as the
growth Of wild assertions by eastern
travellers. or. at best, a mere tradition
OF the people among whom they tray
eled and obviously Of no conceivable
weight. from the love OF antiquity
which Is so well known a mania Of the
inhabitants Of oriental countries. "
This summary treatment may be con-
venient but Il Is not convincing: nor Is
Il consistent with the open spirit Of falT
inquiry which should characterize All
endeavor to arrive at truth OF TO ex-
tend the sphere Of knowledge. After
all. then, we and ourselves In presence
Of the not improbable hypothesis OF az
eastern origin for the tobacco plant and
the habit Of smoking lss leaves Let Il
be conceded that In this we have an In.
stance, among many others, OF the
Chinaman's way Of iorestalling the rest
Of mankind: that Il was he who Ions
ages ago frst planted In American soil
the perennial weed which Europe 80.
day presents to him as a new indul-
gence discovered by western enterprise.
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