Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-05-27
ABOUT THE INCAS.

That some OF the aborglnes OF this
country, IN the dim past, were the pos
fersors OF a highly developed civilian
lion has been abundantly proved by the
nrchwOloglsts who have devoted time
to the study Of the old history OF the
western continents Foremost among
the aboriginal nations Of whom scien.
lists have what they deem authentic
knowledge. are the Incas. These, It
seems, did not only reach high degree
Of perfection In architecture, sculpture
and the arts Of fashioning gold and
silver ornaments, but they also seem
to have neared perfection In the art OF
government II this can be estab-
lished It should prove OF the greatest
interest to the present age and genera.
ton
A writer in the Scientific American
makes the statement that the govern
ment OF the Incas came to be the near
est approach to a Utopia which has yet
been reached by any people Each
man was allotted free Of charge,
dwelling site and an acre OF land to
on and cultivate FOR the maintenance
Of his family The surplus Of prod
ucts from the land after the needs Of
the family had been provided FOR, was
turned over to the government, to be
used for religious. charitable, and 9TH
or purposes The same writor claims
that under this arrangement. crime
and public corruption were unknown
In the city OF Cuzco Il is said, a resi-
dent with a hundred bars Of silver and
gold In his home. left It wide open. on
~ placing small stick across the door
as a sign that the master was out--anl
nobody went in, lie further describes
the condition OF the people as follows:
THE whole tribe was divided into nu-
merous clans The powers Of admins
tratlon conferred in the elective dlgni-
tarles, a military leader and the head
Of the religious system. There was
also "A council OF chiefs None Of these
offices were hereditary, ana could not be
occupied by sons unless they were
specially chosen for the position The
upon the shoulders OF his child This
was due To the clan organization, which
governed the affairs of state, Inherit
ance was by mother-rlght A man
could not marry woman Of his own
clan, but had 10 select one from am
other This was the main unit for
holding the tribe together, Woman had
no voice IN public affairs. but ruled su.
preme in the home She was admit
tod TO esoterc societies. Of which there
were many They also practiscd heal
Ing and became prlestossos. Many
complicated and elaborate ceremonial
and religious rites We're observed. and
fcosts and offerings Of some kind We're
OF almost daily occurrence, and the
preparation for and Observance of these
occupied a great deal OF the time Of The
people
The Inc0s, It seems, first mastered tho
arts and sciences, and statesmanshlp,
ana then they extended their influence,
untll theirs became large empire,
extending from the central plateau Of
Bolivia TO the western coast Of Peru,
and from Ecuador To- northern Chile.
They governed, it Is said, by wisdom
and not by force Il is a pity they
were swallowed up In the medieval
conquest Itisa pity their history was
not fully preserved: for It appears that
our age has something TO learn from
the past ages with all our progress,
all our enlightenment, an our patent
medicines, physical ana moral, n sure
cure for crime and corruption is sim a
most urgent need II the Incas had It, !
they were far I'm advance of our age.