The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-15
Changes OF EIGHTY YEARS.
REMIxIsCEyCEs OF Ex-PREsIDEyF
BARTLETT, OF DARTMOUTH.
His Memory Goes Back to the Flint
Lock Gum and the Smooth-Bore
Cannon-The Discovery of Anes-
thefics and the Improvement In
Surgical Instruments Achieve.
mcnts of Astronomy.
sprinrfeid. Mass, Republican.

Ex-PrssIGeut Bartlett OF Dartmouth col
Iega. at a public reception given him at
Hanover. n. H. IN honor OF hos se.h birth
day thus responded 10 2 cali for remarks:
"You call for "reminiscences. It Is diff
cult Ter me. and much more for YOU. 10
realize the stupendous changes which my
eighty years have witnessed. 1t Is a mag
n!acent dream No boy OF the present day,
think. will ever see the like. might say.
IN a word, that all the events which scores
Of uens have just celebrated at Fictoria's
jubilee have fallen within my lifetime. and
much mere. for | had charge OF a country
grammar school in Vermont while the
great and good queen was still under the
charge of her mother.
''Or could say all that was remarkable
at the Columbian Exposition OF 1873 has
been at least evolved within the period. |
viii, however. except the autograph OF
Christopher Columbus and the letters pat
ent OF Ferdinand and Isabella. but not alto
gether the nummies from New Mexico nor
the prehistoric remains in general for
these have been mostly found and investi-
gated within fifty years. And 10 this l
may add the very possibility OF such
collection from al four corners OF the
globe for | am older than the first pas
sengsr railway in the world. than the first
little steamer tthe Sayannah) that crossed
the Atlantic.
THE changes in the transition from my
passa ges of another planet; changes in the
arts Of war and the arts of peace, and in
the whole comfort. convenience and health
fitness OF living and working, in sanitary
precautions. and in the relief OF the sick
and the suffering. For a single example
/ have seen the first surgeon of the coun-
try chip away with his chisel and mailet
at the necrosis OF the tiba by the half
hour with nothing to deaden the pain or
prevent the suppuration. till one by one
we erept into the open air from very faint
ness.
My memory goes back to the fint-lock
gun and the smooth-bore cannon, to the
sickle and the scythe. TO the open fireplace,
the universal wood Ere. and the tinder-
before the first friction match emitted
light / heard the hum of the spinning
wheel. and have seen the shuttle fly back
and forth in the hand loom
When We Had Twenty States.
1.-THE land in which we live has mean
from twenty 10 forty-fiye. multiplied its
population eight or nine-fold, pushed It's
area from the Atlantic 5000 miles to the
Pacific. and thrust out the horns Of Alaska,
5000 miles beyond. And the most extraor-
binary thing of all was the wonder-work-
Ing providence during the middle thirty
years which solved the insoluble problem
nuilify the Constitution and the nation.
stultifed and nuilif1ed itself
Human power has been multiplied by
mechanism until one mans work releases
ten, or. IL may be. hundred others, and
the helmsman OF great ocean steamer
holds the reins of nearly 5000 horses. And
so all business has taken gigantic leaps.
The importer can order daily from London
or Paris, and the country trader replenish
his stock every week instead of twice a
year. The whole world has come within
speaking distance. Sixty years ago Ii took
letter two days from Boston to Hanover:
twenty, years ago I sent message from
Jerusalem to Chicago In the same fore
noon, and the money lately paid in Boston
for Armenian relief on one day was ready
In Constantinopie the next.
1T has been the main era OF the great
work OF foreign missions. During my life
time the Bible has been rendered at least
into 300 or 400 tongues. in which It has been
have been first reduced to writing for the
purpose. Centers OF light have thus been
kindied In every part OF the globe, TILL
about nine-tenths Of the worlds inhabi-
tants now have Gods words in their own
language.
I'm the heavens an eighth planet has
been added to the known seven; the four
asteroids multiplied to 400. and the object
glass expanded from four inches or there
ahouts to forty to tell US. II is said. of the
10000 suns all bound together in common
bonds by the mighty hands of God.
But / must come nearer home. OF the
changes In this village / viii not take time
to say very much. / can think of but one
person now living here who lived here sixty
layers whom ! recall were Mills Olcott, a
gentleman Of large ability hospitality and
influence. father-in-law OF Rufus Choate,
the eminent iur!st; Joseph Bell. and w. Fl.
Duncan. Col. Brewster, another gentle
man OF the old school, sheriff OF the county
and long marshal Of the college, OF mill
fary carriage and potent voice.
Our Gain.
TN looking over the changes OF eighty
years what shall be said OF the retrospect?
immensely of progress-first. material, Sec
ondarily, intellectual and, I may add.
moral. Life is longer, life Is easier, life Is
more powerful. One would not willingly
go back 70 the environments OF that earlier
time. although We did not mind Ii then.
They were tough, and so were we.
But IS life happier now? Taking the
world q whole, and the civilized world
on the average. yes. While no man are
happier than some men then. far more are
comparatively happy. and far more OF
acute misery Is relieved. Science and art
aided By wealth ard opportunity. have
done il. Wealth has been largely and hon
orably subsidized, although often the