The representative., 1900-12-13

WHO WE'RE THR. .MouND-BUILDERss :
History of America Before Colum-
bus"-but what American history is
there back of Columbus? Was not all
before him re-histcric? So it has been
popularity supposed: And yet, here is
man, Van de Roo, who, after rum
maging through the vast mass of docu-
ments in the vatican library, and search
ing through host Of other publications,
ancient and modern, presents to the
public two big volumes of 600 pages
each, setting forth y wonderful history
of America prior to its supposed first
discovery. Columbus discovered the
new world, and now this bold investiga-
tor makes it out that this world was
not so very new after all. All of which
is highly interesting, If true.
For several years, the author says, he
was engaged searching the vatican Sc
cret archives relative to the history of
Pope Alexander VI, "who is as much
slandered as he is little known" While
doing this he frequently came across
some original and unpublished records
pertaining to the religious history Of
America, either at the time of the dis
covery or before it. This set him in
search of other libraries and ancient
publications. To his surprise he met
on every side with vestiges of Christ
ianity that had hitherto been unaccount-
ed for. The results of all his searches
and researches he has put into this
singularly interesting book.
In all these literary travels, he says,
he kept steady eye on the religious
particulars that seemed to be of any in
terest; but he could not help noticing
also other important circumstances.
events and institutions which pertained
to the social and political life of the
American nations and tribes that had
risen, 1iourished and fallen before the
great discovery of Columbus. The
| author has his own theories and opin-
ions, but he does not urge them in any
obtrusively dogmatic way He states
the facts as he finds them. He gives at
length, quotes the documents in their
own words, the opinions of others who
have given most attention to the sub
ject. AS he frankly remarks, he has not
undertaken to write an evenly balanced
value of the work consists in the way
in which such a wide range of facts and
documentary testimonies, ancient and
modern, have been brought together
reader is left to form his own conclu-
sions.
The first three chapters relate to the
origin of the American man, the an
-tiquity Of man in America and certain
prehistoric American nations. The au-
thor believes in the unity of the human
family. He does not believe that the
American originated in America. The
question of his antiquity is fully and
fairly discussed, but without pretending
to anything like certainty of conclu-
sion. The various evidences which
seem to suggest the glacial or inter-
tinent are fully stated. AS for the an
cient moundbuilders, they were no
savages. eff mechanical arts and ma
terial welfare were civilization and re-
fnement we might presume that the
ancient mound builders would not be
unwelcome in our best society circles,
the theory of perpetual progress not
withstanding. According to compet-
ent engineers, it would take several
thousand of our workmen, provided
with all the resources of our grand
modern industries, long years to erect
some of their monuments, among which
not few rival the Egyptian pyramids
in grandeur, while some of the stones
they set up are hardly less than those
which adorn the shores of the Nile.
And the number of these grand monu-
ments is almost incalculable
Such race must have been numer-
Gus and we'll governed. Where did they
come from? The Ynound-builders them.
selves have left no. written record Of
their passage over this world, and the
time and circumstances of their disap-
pearance are involved in as deep a mys-
terry as those of their first appearance
did they, as all ancient historic ma
tions, sink down and vanish from sight
under the weight of their impiety and Of
the crimes that ta~ni5hed the glitter of
their material progress?" Their monu-
mental structures are supposed to have
been originally fnteAded as expressions
of their religious ideas
The chapter on "Netions OF America
/ in Ancient Greece" contains many ex-
pressions which show the strange per-
sistence of fntimations asto wonderful
lands to be found by sailing westward
Many interesting citations to this effect
are here given. Says Justin Winsor:
"Gerbert, Albert the Great, Roger Ba-
con, Dante. were as familiar with the
idea of the earth globe as were Hippar-
chus and Ptolemy; that it was assumed
by Isadore of Seville and taught by
Bede.' Columbus himself was no soil
tary dreamer He had been an enthus-
last as a student of what other men
knew or had thought long before he en-