The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-15
The Next Anniversary.

The existence of a new world be-
yond painless expanse of ocean was
revealed to Columbus president mind
some four centuries ago, and he demon
strated the correctness of his conclu-
sions by an exhibition of heroism that
transcends the grandest conceptions
of the sublime in human character and
human achievement. Some three hun
dred years later Washington and his
compatriots were founding nation in
the new world Columbus had discov-
cred. The centennial of the birth of
the nation has Just been observed. In
three years more will come the four hun
dredth anniversary of Columbus sub
greatness its commemoration should
surpass all the splendid train of CEN
tennial observances combined. The
recent demonstrations in New York
were but prelude to the grandeur of
the ceremonies that in 1892 shall fitly
commemorate the intrepid navigator's
discovery. For the first time perhaps
since that event the people of the west
ern continents will find themselves, at
the completion of an important cycle of
time, under circumstances that fully
Justify celebration of the discovery of
America. Things have greatly changed
in the last century. Up to the time of
the third centennial of the discovery,
this hemisphere, north and south, had
been hardly more than section of
gigantic orange relentlessly squeezed
for the qualification and enrichment of
Europe. A small part of the north
continent along the seaboard had freed
itself from the grip of Great Britain,
but the people were too much engrossed
with the problem of self-preservation
and too uncertain about the success of
the political experiment they had insti-
tuted to engage in enthusiastic demon
STATIONS over the big find of the Gen
oese sailor The discovery was at that
time hardly subject for high human
felictation. Another century of time
has changed all this. The ranged
arch of the American Union" spans
the north continent. The success of the
experiment of popular government has
thawed the ice out of absolute despot-
ism in the Old World. A great incre-
ment of undoubted good to all the
world has come out of Columbus dis
covery. The two continents, even
among the Castilian peoples of the
South, are the home of nations. Inde-
pendence and civilization everywhere
in the western world have made great
advances. So the four hundredth ami
versary of the discovery of America
may reasonably claim very distin-
guished consideration at the hands of
the millions of free, happy and pros
porous people of the western hemis-
phere, and the United States, by virtue
of its history and its present pre-
eminence, will lead the train of rejoicing
nations. The millions of Europe, whose
condition has been vastly ameliorated
by force of the influences emanating
from American example, will take up
the refrain. Eighteen hundred ninety
two will be year of universal jubilee.
1t was one of the nonors, slightly re-
garded amid the din of clashing ma
terial interests during the late national
canvass, of the incumbency of the
presidential office during the existing
term, that the chief magistrate then
elected would be the central figure in
the celebration of the national CEN
tenary at New York and will also head
the procession of dignitaries in 1892.
The extreme fitness of things is sus-
tanned The political party embody-
ing the principles that prevailed in the
adoption of the Constitution, and in the
early and later administration of the
government, that successfully main
tanned those principles in a great civil
war and wiped out the one dark blot
on the escutcheon of American free
dom, this party is at the head of the
government, in this great centennial
period, and the nations chief repre-
sentative is lineal descendent of a
signer of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. President Harrison is a thrice
honored man.
Greedy Eyes on Niagara.