The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-08-13


due TO his use of his hrc n and the
fact that he developed two hands and
two feet instead of four of one or the
other. The oldest clews to ancient
man so far discovered are part of
a skull, a thigh hone, and two teeth
These were found in Java and. judg.
Ing by the stratum Of soil in which
they were lying, biologists decided
that the man lived 10000 years ago.
Pithecanthropus as the scientists call.
ed the antique Javanese, was fully
developed man, though with rather
ape-like features.
The Javanese man Of a half million
years ago, is a mere modern compared
with some of the animals whose skele-
tons have been dug up and classified.
Six million years ago, in the age of
reptiles, fourished the arnored dino
saur, which to most people is the sym
Dol Of prehistoric times. But even the
dinosaur is young as the age Of the
world goes. DR.. Walcott of the Smith
sOnian institution estimates that ami
NAL life started on the earth 41,140,-
600 years ago. Somewhere between
then and the very recent Javanese
gentleman man got his start.
Father Pithecanthropus.
Science Is still looking for the an
cestors of Pithecanthropus, but 1t is
not looking for missing link between
man and the modern monkey, because
anthropologists do not think man is
descended from apes. Darwin Ia Of
ten misquoted on this point. What
Darwin said was that man and apes
evolved from common ancestor.
Some scientists hold that there were
probably a number Of early animals
which branched of from the unknown
ape-like ancestor and that any enc of
them might have developed into a su.
perior being, but that somehow all
except, man failed to make the most Of
themselves, or became the specialized
beings Of the jungle,
Mr.. GidIey explains that in the far
On times man was not the husky giant
we imagine, but a smaller creature;
that he lived in trees and used his
hands to cling BY. and his voice for
vague gatherings. Then for some IN
known reason, possibly because the
forests disappeared through some
change Of climate, this prehistoric
man came down from his trees. He
was curious, and so he picked at things
and examined and explored. Then
he showed his fellow citizens his re-
markable discoverings, thus develop
ing communication, which is one of
the greatest aids to progress. His
fellow men, crude as they were, prof
tied to some extent by the researches
OF the early Investigators. Gradually
grew, grunts and squeals
were organized into speech, land in
the course of q million years or 30
the superior creature Of today was
evolved.
The Citizen Of A. D. 1oo1s20.
This ia the story of man as pieced
together from the bones that science
has dug up and the bones II hopes
some day to find. It is to most scien-
lists the only plausible theory, though
there are still some people who hold
out that seeing is believing and that
when they see the animal that man
descended from they will put more
faith in evolution.
Meanwhile, If man has no immediate
of growing third leg or
second crop of hair, he is said to be
changing in another way. Professor
Gidiey says that the tendency is for
The races Of the earth to blend as |
civilization spreads. The Rushmen
and lgorots may In the next few aeons
1evelop into desirable mates for races
a0w far In advance Of them in civil
sation, and finally, in the course of the
lext million years, it IL thought pos
dble that all the races Of the earth
nay be merged into one composite
ype. 1t is an exciting thought-until
We reflect that meme of MS will be here
70 see the world citizen Of A. u.
lOO1920.