The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-11-09

II IL far cry from the unwrough
club with which primitive man chaset
hs breakfast around stump 20 The
baton OF a field marshal. Yet from The
cave mans biudgeod TO the symt0l ol
foreeful power the stick has riser
through consistent evolution, during
which Il has never ceased 10 plny an
important part IN human affairs.
Tradition asserts that after Adam
had partaken Of the forbidden frull
the beasts. which had heretofore been
subscryicnt 10 his will. rebelled. Adam
called for assistance upon the Creator
who straIghtway bndo him fashion
himself stick and usc II upon the
nrst animal which disputed his nu.
thorlty. For time tho subject ani.
mails eyed the weapon with instructive
awe. but at last the lion. boldcr than
the rest. attacked Adam slDgly and
was promptly beaten TO earth IN re-
ward for his temcrity. Thus Adam re-.
gained his lost sovereignty over the
dumb creatures.
The particular stick with which our
common ancestor thus secured mans
domain over the beasts was not des.
tined 10 loss or decay for many cen.
luries. according TO tradition. II was
handed down through the descendants
OF Enoch until II was presented by
Jacob 10 Joseph when visiting Egypt
AZ tho death OF Joseph the stick fell
into the hands OF Jethro. whose daugh.
ter. Zipporah. Moses married. With
her dowry the great leader received the
stan OF his ancestors. and 40 highly
did be prize II that he ordered Il TO
DC buried with him.
This stan Of Moses was tho symbol
OF temporal power. while the rod OF
Aaron was the emblem OF spiritual
authority. Later In history We and
this duel symbolism OF the stick In the
hands OF kings and IN the form OF tho
sccpter representing the temporal and
In the hands OF the priests as the Gro.
zlcr standing for the spiritual
For centuries the stick. In some form
or other. was the only weapon OF war
Though mortal conflict between men Is
ms old as the human race. II u a dis.
puted point whether Minus. tho founder
Of the Assyrinn empire. or Belus first
introduced formal war into tho world,
II n related OF the former. however.
TINT he originated and taught 20 his
followers tho art OF tipping their sticks
with pointed heads OF stone and bone.
With these weapons. 20 much moro
deadly than the unshod clubs OF other
tribes. the AssyrIans were able 20 over.
run the ncighboring nations and sub
jugate them.
The shepherd kings carried q long
stick armed with n lance head as mark
Of their high command. and the early
Greeks gave the name Of ''sceptre' 20
the lance tipped with iron. In those
primitive days. when physical might |
made political right. the chiefs of the
people had 10 be always on tho alert |
60 protect themselves against assas. |
sinatlon. and the lance or sceptcr was
ever at hand 10 protect the crown. wit
ness the case OF Saul. who had his
lance at the table with him when he at.
tempted 10 strike his son Jonathan.
and when David entered his tent on
another occasion saul's lance was nc
the foot OF his bed ready for Immediate
use
Among the Baby Ionians II was oblig.
atory for fathers Of families 10 carry
sticks, many Of which were elaborately
carved with peculiar cmblems in ac-
cordance with their various social posi.
tions. In certain forms II was the dis.
tInctive marx OF their principal dignita.
ries. Among the Romans the stick was
conspicuous In oil religious ceremonies.
and In the hands OF tho lletors. as well
na OF the centurlons. II represented
chastlsement as well as justice. The
iIctors, armed with sticks, always pre-
ceded senator's In the streets and public
places clearing tho way for their au.
gust patrons by such lavish use OF
their slaves that today's childish ex.
preston OF getting good licking" at
the hands of parent or pcdagogue may
be distinctly traced TO those early myr
midons Of tyranny.
The stick or wand may be found rep.
resented In the hands OF both deltles
and heroes. Ceres has a spear In one
hand and an ear Of corn In. the other,
has his thyrsus aud Mercury
the caduceus presented TO him by Apol-
10, while Achilles is represented with
the spear which. according TO Homer,
none but he could WELD"
The Roman consuls and senators
adopted a wand OF ivory as mark OF
their authority. and II Ia related that a
blow Of one OF these wands preclpitat.
ed general massacre OF the senators.
When the Gauls, under Brennus, enter.
I'd Rome they found the consuls and
senators seated In state, each holding
his wand In his hand. For the moment
they paused in admiration OF 80 much
dignity, but one among them, being de.
flclent In the organ Of veneratlon, pre-
sumed to pull the beard OF the senator
Paplrius, who instantly struck the man
down with his wand and thus led to a
general butchery Of bis colleagues.
In Eranch hIaforv tho atick aa a king Il