The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-01-04
The D6mOCrat-Stdr.
GARDEN OF EDEN.
HAS 1T NOW BECOME AMERICAN
PROPERTY.

Chicago Record.
Den Hall, geologist in the Universe.
ty OF Minnesota, calls attention to
the fact that the report Of DR.. d. f.
Becker, one Of the United States geo.
logists who went with the army to
the Philippine Islands, contains the
geological history OF the archipelago
which leads scientists to believe that
the islands comprise the Garden Of
Eden, the original home Of man, and
that the Talago Ut today is a direct
defendant from the mag Of Borneo,
midway In development between the
ape and the human species.
DR.. Becker reports that during the
tertiary period OF geological history
these islands were in the midst OF
swamps and shallow seats at the very
edge OF the Mediterranean Lake. which
extended westward to the Atlantic
Ocean. Later the bottom OF the sea
was lifted above land. The Alps, eau.
casus and Himalaya Mountains now
stand as the highest points to which
the ancient sea bottOm Of limestone
and slialcs was lifted. The Philip.
pines were lifted, too, SO that during
the latter tertiary time the Philip.
pine Islands were Il part OF the con.
tinent OF Asia and migration OF land
animals and plants took place freely.
Then came a subsistence, which cut
OF the migration OF animals TO and
from the islands. and with this SUBJ
sidence begins a period OF great vol.
canic activity and huge quantities OF
lava were thrown out and spread over
the land and ocean bottom.
There Is no evidence Of land cOnnec.
ton between the Philippines and Asia
from that time to the present. There
are evidence OF constant oscillations,
upliftinuS and submergcnccS, but no
movements Of sufficient magnitude TO
make dry land across the China Sea.
But the item OF special interest Is
the opinion OF the late Prof. Marsh
that one Of the earliest haunts Of the
human species was the Philippine
archipelago, with Borneo and other
southward.lyin islands. The great
elevation which lifted the bottom OF
the old Mediterranean Sea into noun.
tain ranges like the Alps and Hima.
layas and the following submergcncies
Of the area OF the China Sea beneath
ocean waters had q profound effect
upon the migration OF the human
race. III it should be proved" says
DR.. Hall, that the original home Of
man was, as Marsh seems to suggest,
In the Philippine Islands, then in
bringing under the flag the original
Garden Of Eden we shall secure Il
treasure beyond financial or political
valuation.
"Only Il few years ago in the island
RBorneo the the fossil remains were
ound OF queer creatures believed TO
le midway in degree Of development
letween the ape and man. The eli.
natic conditions favOring the de.
h1pplncnt Of animal forces appear
bfist there in highest perfection.
animals that we're associated
man in the original Garden OF
4n. as they were driven in every
iftction by the movements OF the
pa, and rivers OF Basaot, show some
larked divcrgenccs, as those of India,
hina and the Philippine Islands are
impaired. il Is easy to see how un-
er such intense conditions the neigh.
prs Of the original man OF B0rne0.
plated on his " island TO the
north, could have developed into the
' TagalO OF today"