Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-22
ONE HUNDRED YEARS.

~'N AAoANDtSD 4 MANN
Centennial anniversaries are becomin.
frequent in our country. The hundredtl
year of the settlement of a town, or tn
existence of an institution, society. sect
party or anything whatever, is perio'
that seems to deserve recognition. Las
Saturday the town of Winthrop celebrates
its centennial anniversary. Looking bacl
across the hundred years that have gon,
since it dates its settlement, what wonder
full changes are seen during that period
1t is only when we are led by such occa
sions as this to compare the past with the
present that we realize the progress the
world makes. One hundred years age
the forest hail scarcely been encroached
upon in our wide domain, and the Indian
disputed our supremacy. The Colonies
numbered but little more than two mill
ion persons. They were then taking their
first lessons in, and resistance to, oppres-
sion. Tryon was tyrannizing over North
Carolina and Hutchinson endeavoring to
bring the neck of Massachusetts under
the yoke. 1t was one hundred years ago
that Adams said: Every step has been
taken but one and the last appeal would
require prudence, unanimity, and fortltude.
America must herself, under God, finally
work out her own salvation" 1t was in
1771 that all the Boston ministers except
one refused to read Hutchinson's procla-
nation appointing Thanksgiving, and
when the compliant minister undertook to
read it from the pulpit, a large portion of
his congregation Immediately arose and
left the church in indignation. From weak
and dependent colonies we have advanced
in = hundred years to what we are. In
that time the wonderful use of steam has
been almost entirely created.
The first steamboat was constructed
within the century. Less than fifty years
ago the first locomotive was built and the
first passenger railway. The use of the
electric telegraph is still later. The as
constituent of the aborigines at the first
appearance of English vessels in their
harbors could scarcely have been more
than would have been the amazement of
the people Of hundred years ago could
they have suddenly been visited by an ex-
hibition of the wonders Of the telegraph
as now in use. There are other great
changes but we do not mark them SO
readily. We paint with the sun. Our
houses instead of being lighted with pitch
knots draw for illumination upon reser
voirs prepared in the hills ages ago bu
unknown until recently. Within twenty
five years the sewing machine has beer
invented, leading a long train of house
hold Improvements. Even the agricultu
ralist can show an astonishing advance
and improvement in the implements
which he uses. What progress has been
made mentally and morally is not so
readily determined, but the spread of in
telligence among the people by general
education and the daily and weekly labors
of the press, and the great influence of
free pulpits, must have produced vast in
fuence upon the culture and morals of the
people. There are those who say we
make no advance, even with the click of
the telegraph and the shrek of the loco
motive in their ears. Happily we have
these seasons along the journey of life
when we look back seriously and truth
fully at the past, and the survey never
fails to present indisputable evidence of
the worlds progress. What the advance
will be in next hundred years no one can
can forecast, and though it seems improb-
able thatit can equal what has taken place
the last century, we know by what we see
that it is not safe to limit the possibilities
of the future.