Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-04-16
ONE HuNpREB fgARs OLD.

One hundred years constitute but
an episode of the countries Of the eld-
er hemisphere-a page of their chron-
icles. That period in the younger
hemisphere covers the whole of the
country's career. When we haYe said
thetrIke Republic Il not yet one hum
dred years Old, we have said the most
wonderful thing about the Republic
Such marvellous example OF. rapid
growth all history fails 70 parallel
The progress from a community of
colonies, numbering only three. mil
lions of people, to 3 Union OF States
with population Of nearly forty mill
lions, has been accomplished in less
than ten decades. There are men now
living who were born before the Re
public; within whose life-term the
wilderness has changed, like a spec
tacular transformation scene, into q
series Of great cities, thriving towns,
and cultivated sections, abounding in
all the proofs and fruits of s vital civ
ilization, rivaliEg in wealth and
achievement the most venerable Of
European countries, and surprising
them in substantial prosperity. And
80 the infant of nations staDds in their
front rank. Surely such swift devel-
Opment is the phenomenon Of, the
ages 81 = --cs
When the Republic celebrates its
centennial, as 1t will In q little more
than three years, there will be enough
to commemorate. From a national
point of view we shall look back upon
q narrow interval Of time but meas
ured by what has been done the inter
val is Overfiowing with fact and sug-
gestion. The Republic In its young
manhood has had the full ADVANTAGE
of the modern stimulus TO successful
effort. The tedious processes Of the
last century have given place to new
methods that imply creative genluR
in the material arts. The SOILS of the
Republic cross the continent from
ocean to ocean in the time consumed
by the Fathers of the Republic in
passing between the Atlantic cities.
The swiftness Of travel is type OF
the improvements of the later time.
Within the short life of the Republic
steam communication, instantaneous
telegrap phic correspondence, and all
contemporary material agencies have
OCl944C 1CCOAA A1Oscs [NO- AAaN
the progress been only material. Ed
ucation has been made nearly univer;
sal, and the masses of the people have
grownintellectually as well as morally
stronger.
There is certainly enough to cele-
brate on the coming One Hundredth
Fourth of July. The question is, how
shall we celebrate? Thus far the
celebration has only taken shape In
the proposed National Exposition at
Philadelphia. If this enterprise shall
not fail into the hands of mere specu-
lators. Ii il shall be a general, genu-
ine, and popular undertaking, it
ought to be grand success. 1t will
show our own citizens and all the
world, in a tangible and impressive
form, what the Republic is, what it
has done, and what it can do. 1t is =
good thing, so far as il goes.
But there is a peryading and in
slinctive feeling that it does not go
far enough. The people will hardly
be satisfied that the celebration shall
begin and end in PhiIadelphia. The
Centennial Fourth of July ought to
be q present and vital force through
out the length and breadth Of the land.
Every State, every city, every town,
every village, every remote settlement
should prepare such universal com.
mem0ratiOn as the world hitherto has
never known, and in this way em-
phasize the significant announcement
that the Republic is one hundred
years eld-