Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-08-19

ROBERT BRENT.
heralded to the world. We take no ac-
count of the discovery by Eric the Red,
for nothing came of it, save a historic
and reliable account of the discovery
by that bold and piratical buccaneer
Norseman. We reckon only from the
time that Columbus and Amerigo
Vespucci, and their successors. trav-
ersed the dangerous pillows of the Att
lantic to discover Ell Dorado.
Four hundred years! Think of it!
We are not beginners in this wonderful
world of the west; and yet we have
nothing which savors of aatiquity. We
have ignored. and many of us have de-
spised, all efforts to chronicle the
achievements of our immediate ances-
tors. Mark Twain received vociferant
and iong-continued applause when he
said: II am not proud of my family. l
am trying to do something which will
make my family proud of me-
That epitomiZes the popular senti-
ment. Nevertheless, there are far
sighted people il America to-day who
are building monuments for the flu
ture; making histories of localities and
local events. which Will be valuable, and
be better appreciated when this con-
tinent is older; and, | may say it. more
civilized. There will come time when
boys and girls will not only study the
outline history of the origin and devel-
opment of this grea republic. but when
they will study the development of their
counties, townships, states and i'm
mediate environments
We had a quadro-centenniaI eXposi-
tloii IN Chicago few years ago. That
enterprising demonstration was q
STARTER to the whole world. when it's
magnitude and n.agnificence were I'M
>derstood. We had a centennial exposi-
ton of our national independence in
Philadelphia in 1876. We have since
had centennial exhibitions for several
states and sections. The people of Ten
nessee are now inviting our entire peo-
pie to unite in celebrating the centen-
NAL of the format ton of that common
wealth; and the president of the repub-
lie has seen fit to lend his personal in
tiuence and presence to commemorate
the event.
In spite of clamors from thousands of
well-meaning and patriotic citizens
the state of Wisconsin has placed in
Statuary hall, in the national capitoIsa
statue of Father Marquette, the pioneer
of the frontier who brought Christian
tty and civilization to the great lake re-
gion.
In the same hall of notabIes in mar
BILE, the state of Illinois has erected q
statue to Gen. James Shields, who was
soldier of the republic and senator
from three sovereign states.
We may never be able to explain the
manifestations of civilization which ex-
cavations have developed in Yucatan.
and other portions of the continent on
which we live; but the time is already
upon US when we must take cognizancc
OF the immediate past, and build monu-
ments for future generations to study
and admire.
Everybody regards it as unfortunate
that the government should have per-
mitted the spoliation and destruction OF
the theater in which President Lincoln
was assassinated; and everybody who
comes to Washington applauds the en-
terprise OF the gentleman who pur-
chased the house in which Lincoln died,
and preserved it practically as it was
when that awful tragedy was consum-
mated in the death of the great enamel
pafor.
in the Immediate and distant future.
antiquarians, the men who write real
and authentic history. will want to /
know all about the national capital. !
We know that L'Enfant. a French en-
gineer officer. planned the city. and
that it has grown into magnificence in
accordance with the lines drawn by his
inspired pen. But we do not all know !
the growth of the municipal govern
ment; and, but for the thoughtfulness
of body of antiquarians now living, |
who dip deep into the future, we might |
lose the records of the municipal growth |
of the most beautiful city in the world. |
The Columbian Historical society, of |
this city, is composed of gentlemen of |
scholastic requirements, and all of |
them possess something of personal I
pride in the capital city where they I
have long resided. and which they have
seen grow into proportions of metro
pohtan pretensions. These learned |
gentlemen look forward to the time
when there will be 1000, 900 people. or
more, settled within a radius of ten
miles from the dome of the capitol.