Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-05
The Second Century.

Ihe patton having now completed
the hrst hundred years or its existence
under the Constitution, during which
II has not only made marvellous pro-
gress In every material sense. but has
met and overcome all dangers that
threatened its continuance or its integ-
rlty, enters now upon its second CEN
tury. The signs are in general propi-
tious, but there are elements of peril
now that were unknown in 1889 The
population has become much more
dense, and although by reason of the
vast extent of our territory, there is
stlll more than enough room for the
activities OF all the people. yet there
are already crowding and strife in
the race for wealth, and, with many,
even for subsistence, that bear soms
resemblance to the grinding and cruel
competition among the people of the
old world There is a rapidly growing
tendency, too, OF population To the
large towns and cities, to the depletion
of the rural districts. Enormous
masses Of men ara gathering within
small areas, and this is fruitful source
of turbulence and discomfort Large
cities are the hot-bedS of violence and
revolution
The population is becoming mixed
and Heterogeneous. Foreign countries
have sent Us many Industrious. intelli-
gent, well-meaning men, but at the
| same time have dumped upon our
| shores \ plentiful supply of outcasts,
paupers and, worst of all, anarchists.
When Washington was president he
| ruled or more properly speaking, pre-
sided over few millions of people who
were comparatively simple in their
modes of thought and IN their pursuits
and industries, slow going "a their own
| stage coaches; now General Harrison
Is chief magistrate of our sixty millions
! of restless spirits, scattered over a vast
! eXpanse of territory, made impatient OF
restraint by long experience of free
| dom, diverse in interests, independent
| in opinion.
Further, there is now a great and
steadily increasing disparity among the
| people in point of wealth. We nIvt
with US the very rich and the extremely
/ poor, and by virtue OF the enormous
power of wealth and the pitiful weak
ness of poverty We virtually have rul'
ing classes and subject classes. HE
middle class is rapidly diminishing IL
numbers and the gap IS constantly wid'
enIng between the extremes. One
Y
bly, Of millions. Money dominates and
plants itself in high places; poverty
skulks and mutters omInously in the
slums- Corporate power rivals the
pow OF the state. Capital and labor
stand arrayed against each other with
hostility, which yearly grows more bit
ter.
Who shall say, standing at the
i threshold of the second century OF OuI
national life, that no dangers threaten
the body politicr Who shall say that
TO hold the diverse elements OF the
population under control, u restrain
the turbulent spirits, TO reconcile war
ring interests, TO keep tine jealOusie:
and antaxonisms OF different sec.
tIons OF the country and Of different
classes Of the people from violent out
break, will not cruciAlly test the ade-
lquacy Of our republican form Of gov
lernmentl We take a pardonable pride
in the growth and development Of tie
nation during its first century, and eN'
ult IN its lofty position among the great
powers Of the world. But In the hey
day and glow OF our self lf-congratula'
tiCn it is well to take careful view OF
existing facts and conditions, and tC
look ahead for possible pitfalls.