The Greenville times., 1897-08-14

ROBERT BRENT.
heralded to the world. We take no ac-
count of the discovery by Eric the Red
for nothing came of it, save n historic
and reliable account of the discovery
by that bold and piratical buccaneer
Norsemnn. We reckon only from the
time that Columbus and Amerigo
Vespucci, and their successors, tray
crsed the dangerous billows of the At
lantic TO discover El 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 antiquity. 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 long-continued applause when he
said: 81 am not proud of my family. |
am trying to do something which will
make my family proud of me-"
That epitomizes the popular sentl-
ment. Nevertheless, there are far
sighted people in America to-day who
are building monuments for the fu-
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 great republic, but when
they will study the development of their
counties, townships, states and i'm
mediate environments.
We had a quadro-centennial eXposi-
ton in Chicago few years ago. That
enterprising demonstration was a
startler to the whole world, when its
magnitude and magnifcence were un-
derstood. We had a centennial exposi-
tion 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-
nial of the formation of that common
wealth; and the president of the repub-
lie has seen fit to lend his personal in
fuence 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 capitol,
statue of Father Marquette, the pioneer
of the frontier who brought Christian
ity and civilization to the great lake re-
gion.
In the same hall of notables in mar
Bile, the state of Illinois has erected a
statue to Gen. James Shields, who was a
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-
terprse of the gentleman who pur-
chased the house in which Lincoln died,
and preserved it practically MS it was
when that awful tragedy was consum-
mated in the death of the great emanc!-
pator.
In the immediate and distant future,
pntiquarians, 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 magnifcence 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 a 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