Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-05-10

proud of Its ancestry, glorying in its deeds,
proud Of the present and hopeful Of the
future of the republic. 1t has been de-
feated, that was to be, and will be expected,
but SO long as it is true 10 home rule, TO
the constitution, to liberty, 1t will live and
flourish. When it deserts these tenets IL
ought to depart forever, but the seeds well
sown are perennial in sturdy growth, and it
has rooted forever in American soil.
Van Buren,, Polk and Buchanan, though
not succeeding each other, were successful
upon party issues alone, no "pomp or cir
cumstance OF war" carrying them upon the
wave Of popularity. Harrison, wv. H.
Taylor and Pierce were the result of wars
in which they maintained. 1.-The glory of the
stars and stripes and won their spurs upon
hard taught battlefelds. Then came the
new creation. Democratic dissenson gave
the opposition its first great victory in the
election Of Abraham Lincoln. This oppo-
sitien, first called Federalist, then Wing,
afterward Republican, then Union, then
Republican, lis still called Republican, and
has since inaugurated Grant, Hayes, Gar
field and Harrison. Unbroken, it ruled
twenty flour years. Undismayed, the Demo
cratic party maintained its organization and
gloriously triumphed in 1884. For reasons
fresh in the memory of the reader, the old
party of the constitution lost its battle In the
year of grace last past, yet in peace and
patriotism it abides the passing time until
it shall again be called to administer wisely
and well. Through all its years Of existence,
well on TO century, it has steadfastly main
tanned that the people are the best rulers OF
the people, that unjust laws are oppressive
laws, that the right of the government to
tax is limited to government necessity, that
no exigency can brush aside the constitu-
ton, no motive disenthrall the majesty Of
law. Fixed and eternal in principle, it lives
and develops and gathers strength
The most interesting and wonderful page
in all the history of nations is the story Of
the birth and growth of the American re-
public within the past one hundred years
A hundred years ago our cultivated domain
extended but little more than one thousand
miles from the pine tree State on the North
to the State of the pine and palm on the
Southern gulf. bounded on the West by the
Mississippi river-about eight hundred thou
sand square miles in area, all told. The
population was less than four million and
a-half, and a-half million of those were
slaves. Now we swarm TO the Pacific coast
over three million five hundred and forty
thousand square miles, sixty millions strong
A hundred years ago we had neither rail
roads, telegraph, nor STEAMBOATS,. The stage
coach and canal boat were the wonderful
inventions of the earlier part of the century
1t took Presdent-eect Washington six days
to travel from Philadelphia to New York
President Harrison went from Washington
in as many hours. In 1927 the first railroad
was laid, now we have one hundred and
forty thousand miles. Then the farmer:
threshed their grain with fails, used scythes
for moving and reaping-now hear the
music Of machinery upon every hillside and
look out upon the millions of acres of land
that are yielding rich products under an
educated system of agriculture. For the
| first year of the constitutional government
the foreign commerce of the country showed
imports of $s3 900, 900, and exports of $780,,
100000. The past year imports have reach
ed 1888 100000 in value and exports $723,
100000.
The first newspaper in the United States
was printed in 1790-now they are falling
broadcast over the land as thick and fast as
Autumn leaves in a storm. We, children
of this rapid age, with its railroads in the
air and under the ground, its deep sea cables
and telegraphs, Its electric lights and natural
gas fuel, can hardly imagine. how such bless
ings, comforts and advantages could have
been dispensed with. Yet with none of these
modern appliances and comforts the states
men of that period laid the foundations Of
our great government, broad and lasting
with wonderful blending Of knowledge
of dangers seen in past experience, to bt
avoided, and as remarkable forecast Of dan
gers that might Turk in the hidden future.
When they were in doubt they were con
sentative.
The development of the educational sys-
tenn of the country within the hundred years
is one Of the most striking and interesting
branches Of its whole history. The public
school system is distinotively American
Germany has its renowned universities
England and Scotland their unexcelled COL
leges. grandly equipped for advanced stu
dents, but the common free school system
takes the poorest child from the street and
makes well educated man or woman OF
him or her without money and without
price, is the glory of the American school
system. II is an outgrowth of freedom, and
the foresight of freemen tells them that when
the people are severeigns the people must
be enlightened and instructed.
| Such is a brief mention of some of the
more important events that have marked
our progress within the past one hundred
years-and as the nation enters upon its
second century it is the universal fealty to
the constitution and the Union that alone
gives the assurance of still greater and more
splendid achievements.
An Interesting Tax Question.