The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-08-08
LABOR COLUMN.
Devoted to the Interests of the Laborer.
H. {. BRAGG, Editor
The Process Of Evolution.
H. {. BRAGG, Editor.

the obl'e.re are uucuauScdoic'
Nothing has ever happened IN the
past, or will happen In the future in
opposition TO those laws. 1t is true,
that many times, our greatest scien-
fists are unable to understand the
d fferent phenomsna which appears
to be contrary to laws, already die.
covered; but they know, this cannot
be, and they forthwith endeavor
to ascertain the true laws, and find
out whether they were right or
wrong in their former deductions.
1t Is by following clDsely these
methods that true knowledge Is &C
CURED.
The vast fields into which Evolu-
ton would carry US, cannot be treat.
ed IN these columns IN fact, most of
The 81 fields are foreign II our sub
Iec'; 1t is only the evolution Of man
| kind in winch we are interested.
| Whether man evolved from the
lower ANIMALS, AS advocated by
Dlrwln and Spencer, or whether
man was a seperate creation, as has
been advanced by more ancient
writers; We have nothing whatever
to do. We must take man IN the
earliest stage of his existence and
ee how he has evolved from the
lowest form TO his present state of
| civilization.
To those who have read these
columns, as they have appeared;
this evolution has been made plain,
aud shall only return to it for a
short time in order to answer few
questions that have been put to me,
by gentleman Of tins city.
The questions, In substance were
If evolution means, a continual
advan cement towards higher
plan, why have some nations sui
fered retrogressiong Has not civil
zation reached higher standard
than at present? Did not the anc-
tents of prehistoric times show a
greater knowledge in the arts and
sciences than the present genera
ton?
To answer these questions 1t must
be admitted that some imagination
will have to be INDUCED IN. We
have only very slight knowledge
OF these ancient people, consequent
ly an answer cannot be expected
that will be a historical fact. We
will have to take what we know,
and use reason to supply the bal
lance.
We know from those who are
versed in antiquities that only a
very few of the inhabitants of these
ancient nations were gifted IN
knowledge. The rest Of the popu-
lation were slaves aud had no educa-
ton whatever. Is it not, then, a
fact that evolution could only take
place among those who had the op-
portunity to advance. The only
people of those days who enjoyed
education, were the Pagan priests
and their sons. The sons Of the
priests became the nobility, and
were educated only in the art of
war. A few of these sons were
taught the secrets OF their fathers,
and served IN the priesthood at the
death Of their parents. The priests
were the Architec the scientists,
the conductors of all agriculture the
managers of the industries and the
teachers of the Pagan religion. I
They took care that the slaves pro-
duced the necessities required by
the nation, bat they would not al
low them to worship the same gods,
for they bad gods for themselves
and others for their slaves; thus
they kept them in ignorance by
every species Of superstition.
IL il any wonder that Egypt SUIT
Tered retrogression, when in the
10th Dynasty it commenced to lose
ts possessions in Ethiopia aud Asia.
The country was flied With foreign
slaves and the language of the
Egyptians became mixed with Sem
tic words. From this time on,
Egypt became the prey OF all the
powerful nations. Its priesthood
'apldly passed away and with them,
he knowledge they had gained.
We cannot r,ghtfully say that
permanent advance had been made.