The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-30
1899.

A far as it is the province OF i'F
.Itgis to chronicle events, tn" history
of the year 1898 lie made up with th's
issue. therefore, it is now in ORDER, AS
we stand at the milestone, to St"ir'
backward over the road We have
traversed and to peer, as best we may
as far as possible, into the mists that
hang over the way opening before us
which we call eighteen hundred ana
ninety-nine.
The look behind need be but brief.
The memory of the march is fresh, our
feet are even yet bleeding from the
thorns and asperities OF the pathway
we feel even yet in our veins the heat
of the sun that scorched us, while we
mis-, recollect the grateful GOODNESS OF
the occasional shade AMI the velvet
greenuess of the grassy wayslde 20
which we sometimes turned III reilef
from the roughness and baroness OF
the beaten track. Our tears that sun
flow for the loved ones who found
grave with the year alternate Win
smiles for the new friends who have
come to us since last New Years Day.
For the year has, as time always
will, brought to all of us both sorrow
aud ioy; to some much more OF the
former. to Others a preponderance OF
the latter. The history OF great catas-
trophies have been increased by the
record of several wrecks, involving
terrible loss of life. Storms and fires
have played their fearful part, but
good crops in nearly all parts OF our
country, freedom from pestilence, anu
numberless individual blessings can
be counted on the other side OF the
ledger.
For the first time i'll thirty three
wears our country has dropped the
sober but beautiful habiliments OF
peace and assumed the panoply oil
war. True, it was not much of a war
and. thanks to our magnificent navy,
we were grandly victorious over the
third rate power with which we
fought, but it is now beginning to be
apparent that the victory has done
us more harm than it has done Spain.
Our national policy and life seem
about to be completely changed by it,
and for the development OF that
change all eyes turn eagerly to 1899,
for great and startling changes VII
be witnessed by those of US who are
alive this time next year.
As to our individual lives, we can
not, of course, see even one day ahead.
AS to our county and State we can
prophecy with little more certainty,
and as to National events the hand
writing seems quite plain, though
onlinous, OH the wall. So let our eyes
pierce as far as possible the darkness
that lies ahead.
First, us to our county and State ::
As it has ever been i'll the past, SOL Is
most likely to be in the future. From
our geographical situation and the
CONFEDERATION of the land we have
never had an entire failure Of crops,
usually a moderate abundance, and
there now seems to be no reason for
expecting the contrary next year.
Wheat, the only crop now in the
ground, looks very well, and indicates
another bountiful harvest.
Our people have never been visited
by terrible storms or fatal pestiiences,
and we can look forward with reason
able certainty to continuance of our
blessed exemption. We move conser-
vatively here in Maryland, so the great
majority of us need not expect to be-
come much richer or much poorer in
this worlds goods.
One thing, which it may be set down
with reasonable certainty will be ac-
complshed during the year just com
ing in .sis the complete reclamation of
Maryland from Republican DONNA
ton. Those of us who live a year will
see a Democratic Mayor and City
Council in Baltimore and a Demo
cratic Governor and Legislature
elected. OF course, Hartford will per
form her time honored share in the
State election.
AS to the whole country, the way
looks rough and broken. 1t is posi-
bile that what we now apprehend are
rocks and pitfalls, are merely shadows
imaginary dangers which will dis
appear as we reach them, but this is
brief description of the way as it
seems to our vision:
Trouble with the natives of Cuba
and the Philippines, chiefly in the
latter where we are possibly already
at war with them, trying to rob them
of their homes, to which Spain sold US
bad title. Victory, finally, of course,
over unframed and ignorant hordes,
and then annexation-losing our own
constitutional form of government in
forcing a vassal government upon
Others A big whoop OF triumph by
the trusts and syndicates Of this
cOuuiTS anu IleH tOChJOODlHS anu
schemes such as were never seen since
the days of the South Sea Bubble.
Miles and miles of editorials by the
subsidized press of the cities upon the
great prosperity of the country, the
rich made richer through monopolies
and speculation and the poor made
poorer by the burdensome taxes neces-
sary to keep up great standing army
and to pay an immense list of office
holders. And then, late in 1899 or
early in the next year, the bubble will
burst, people will realize that the oft
told story CT commerce has only been
repeated again and we will spend a few
Years climbing out of the ruins and
getting ON our feet again.
We hope these are only shadows.
1900 can tell us.
AN IMPORTANT DATE RUMORED.
A Rome correspondent of the Lon
don Daily Mail, says under date of
December 26. THE conference based