Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-05-27
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.



"Reminiscences of the Stirring Times of the
Year 1893.
The United States was mere baby
among nations in the year 1898, but it
was baby of promise. The American
spirit had not then asserted itself, ex-
cept in matters of war and government.
and the people were only feeling their
way. But in 1893 probably the first
great American invention was made by
citizen Of the United States, and the
cotton-gin was given to the world. The
inventor was named Eli Whitney, and
through the perfection of his machine
the United States began to grow richer.
After 100 years we think of and re-
member the man who did so much to.
ward furthering the interests of COM
merce, and with the recollection of Eli
Whitney comes the thought Of the
great General, George Washington,
who in 1898 was inaugurated President
of the United States for the second
time. The two names are linked to.
gether in the year 1898, for the Living
owe debt to each.
France, who had aided us in our
struggle for independence, was in q
state of disorder in 1898. Louis XVI,
the King of France, was imprisoned by
his subjects, tried, condemned to death,
and beheaded on the 21st of January.
The French people went mad that year.
They were intoxicated with blood, and
on February LIST declared war with
England and Holland. And in add.
ton all France was fighting with itself.
Every Frenchman suspected and feared
his friend and neighbor, and the Reign
of Terror was established in that I'M
happy country. Marat was stabbed by
Charlotte Corday ; Queen Marie An.
tionette was beheaded ; Madame Ro-
land and the Duke of Orleans lost their
heads by the guillotine, and altogether
poor France had a most terrible time Of
it. The French spirit was wholly I'M
like the strong, peaceful American
spirit that had just begun to assert
itself. George III was reigning in
England then, and nothing deserving
OF special mention occurred there dur
ing that year.
as an independent State. Russia, I'M
der various pretexts, had gradually
made its way into the kingdom, and
that year second partition treaty of
the possessions of Poland was signed.
The people saw their country being
gradually absorbed by their powerful
neighbors on all sides, and were unable
to do anything to stem the tide of ma
tional disaster. 1t was only two years
before the time when the last King of
Poland, Stanislaus II. was to give up
the crown and the end was fore
Swallowed.
In 1898 the outside world first learned
something definite regarding the Chi
2ese Empire. We do not know very
much now, but hundred years ago
people knew absolutely nothing. Earl
Mccartney arrived in Picking in Sep
tember, at the head of an English en-
bassy. He was received by the EN-
peror and then requested to depart,
which he wisely did in October. Bur
the embassy found out a number Of
things; among others that the popula.
ton of China was said to be $50. OOO,.
600, and that there 4, 4O2 wall cities in
the empire. 1t must have been very
difficult to find out the little that thee
did. for the Chinese never cared TO.
foreigners any more than we care 70:
the Chinese now. That year, however,
when China showed her e1clusivenesa
and gave no desire to be enlightened,
Williams College was founded at
Williamstown, Mass. In 1898 the gres.
congress of Antwerp was held in that
city, and in Hayti the blacks, following
the Chinese exclusiveness, got rid OF
nearly all the whites on the island Hy
killing them.
Other notable things occurred in that
year, but they are not easily recalled or
referred to. The world was not so busy
then as it is now, daily newspapers
were few and far between, while the
methods of communication were very
bad. If a writer in 1898 refers back a
hundred years to find out what was 60
ing on at this time, he will have an
easy task, for the newspapers of this
age will aid future historians in giving
them minute record of all that hap
pens in all the world over.-Philadel-
phia Press.