The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-08-17

w JAR has played no little part
NM in shaping the social and
Y Y political conditions Of the
human family in its various
stages of progress and development
during the past centuries. But it is
not of its effects, good or evil, that
wish to speak, but of the evolution of
the profession of arms itself, from the
primitive, crude and barbarous con-
ficts of early times to the modern and
scientific methods of today; and by
comparison and deduction make few
forecasts as to its possible development
In the future.
Man supposedly came into existence
some time during the Pliocene Age.
He multiplied rapidly, and by reason
of his superior intellect soon became
the master over all other animals. As
his family increased, it's members
spread out in various directions over
the habitable globe, forming them
selves into groups, each with their own
chief or pstriarchal head. Between
these different factions arose disputes
and controversies, followed by wars.
The cause of these combats was then,
as now, greed; and later, revenge and
feudism and desire for supremacy.
In these early conflicts the weapons
used were of the crudest and simplest
kind; heavy clubs of wood or stone and
rocks being the most common and ef-
fectiye Strong men who could hnrl
large rocks were great warriors and
were always in the front in line of bat
tie. Next to them came the bruisers
with their finishing tools, the clubs.
Presently, some bright genius of
these prehistoric times discovered the
fact that a small rock could be used
with as deadly effect as larger one if
thrown with sufficient force. So he
made string of rawhide, placed there
in a pebble from the beach, and sped
it against his antagonist. It was
great success. This primal sling was
the forerunner of all subsequent projec-
tile-throwing machines. To strike the
enemy with the greatest safety to self
was the chief principle to be considered
in constructing implements of war.
The spear and the shield, the bow
and the arrow came next. These were
deemed very efficient weapons in their
time The bow with its accompanying
culver of arrows was the principal in
strument of offense, and defense, of
the hunter and the warrior, for centu-
ries.
The discovery and utilization of
metals advanced the fine art of man.
killing in marked degree. Hitherto
weapons had been made of hard wood,
bone or stone only. Now spears and
arrows were equipped with sharp
points of metal. Knives, swords, bat
tleaxes, halberds; shields, helmets and
coats of armor swelled the parapher.
MALTA of slaughter, and battles became
very earnest and bloody affairs. Up to
this time they had confined their opera.
tions to terra frma, now some of the
more venturesome invaded the seas
even, with their din of battle; first on
RATS of logs and other crude craft, later
in canoes and row-boats, and still later
in sail-ships. And the letting OF
blood went merrily on. There grew
into existence vikings, pirates and 70
vers of the sea; plying between the
maritime towns and settlements; fight
ing, killing and plundering-- in th'
name of war.
The discovery of gunpowder opened
an almost limitless field for the invent
ing of death-dealing tools. The blum
~ derbuss, arquebus, aintlock pistol an,
howitzer cannon were some of the ney
implements added to the supply o
arms. Chain-shot, slug, bomb, shrap
mel and thousand other life-destroy
ing missiles were hurled at tn
opposing ranks of human foes. Larg
ships, forts and towers were built an
mounted with guns. Men gloried il
the noise of fray and the clash Of arms
and fought for the mere pleasure 0