The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-03-21
The Evolution of Prehistoric Nal

Everything IN this world has bad
beginning; a child cannot learn to
read, until it has learnt Its alpha
bet; neither eau person thorough
ly understand the economic ques,
ton, until he Is familiar with the
history of mans advance IN knowl-
edge; and of the many systems that
the people of different nations have
tried to better their social condl-
tons.
l do not intend to 60 INTO sclen
tic reason as to the causes, which
brought into existence this beautl-
full world of ours; but there is no
doubt that if there were no world
neither could there be man. 1t was
necessary then, that first world
should be created and afterwards
man.
Now! should the creator have
given to man, everything that he
could possibly wish, without any
exertion on his part, man would
soon have ceased to exist. SO the
| all-wise Creator placed within this
earth all Of the raw materials, by
which man, by the exercise of his
reason and the application of his
labor would be able to supply all of
his wants aud desires.
Ever since the birth of man, we
find two fundamental desires I'M
planted within hlm:-,he first, like
the animal, IS to satisfy his animal
nature; while the second-whlch
belongs to man alone-ls the &C,
quirement of knowledge. The for
mer of these desires always pre-
ceeds the latter. We of to-day
know full well that study and de-
velopment of the mind cannot be
attained if the body ls kept In bad
condition: Therefore, 1t Is easily
seen that, just as the individual is
effected, so is society as whole.
What then was the condition of
man during the first few genera
lions? He found all of mis- time
occupied IN obtaining from the
greut storehouse of nature, those
three principal things necessary Tor
his existence, namely, Food, Cloth.
ing, and Shelter. AT first he knew
not what to do. He drank the wa
tiers from the brook. He picked up
the shell-fish from the sea-shore,
and ate such roots and herbs as he
could find.
Gradually, by the exercise of his
reason and that strong desire for
knowledge, he began to strive 10
better his condition. By the use OF
shells and sharp stones, he fashioned
out weapons to protect him from
the wild beasts and made for him
self tools TO till the soil. They
we're very crude, 1t is true, tut they
answered for his first wants. he
kept on improving; he made places
of shelter; cloths to protect hin
from the weather; but still not be
ing satisfied, he kept on evolving
from one stage tC another, gaining
at every step greater knowledge
in the secrets Of nature; thus max
ing it easier to force from nature
the necessities OF life.
Up to this period, man bad act
ed individually. Every man hat
made his own necessities, he hat
built his own dwelling place, AM
raised his own food. He had ap
Piled his own labor to the earth
and had received In return the full
equivalent Of his toll. But thi
was not 10 last. The time had nov
arrived In which change tool
place. Certain men phislcall.
stronger than others began to fn'
it easier TO take by force, what the
were unwilling to work for, thu
compelling the weaker ones to as
sociate together for their own pro
lection. 1t was now that the frs
great divisions took place in tn
human family: The trbe, which
consisted of the members of fami
ly and their closest relatives wer,
formed into groups; some of wbicl
occupied land which they worked
In common, and others becam,
wandering tribes, preying upon TIT
possessions of the industrious ones
1t was during this period tba, some