Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-01-07
WHAT OF THE FUTURE?


The successful introduction of the long.
distance telephone, with its network OF
I wires stretching between the principal cities
I OF the continent, not only emphasizes tn G
amazing progress which the world has
made since the beginning of the present cen.
tlry, bat also calls attention 10 the infinite
possibilities of the future.
As compared with existing standards, the
worlds progress at the beginning OF the
century was extremely primitive and the
great hemispheres were almost as ignorant
of themselves as they were of each other
There were no convenient facilities for ira.
versing either land or water, and neigbbor.
ing countries were to all intents and pur.
poses as remote from each other as though
separated by intervening oceans. To go
from one part of the United States TO an.
other, especially in undertaking to cross the
great plains, not only required weeks of
slow and tedious travel in stage coaches,
but exposed the inmates of these crude We
hicles to constant dangers along the jour.
ney.
But with the changes which the 10th cen.
tury has brought about, the various hin.
ORANGES to travel have been overcome and
nations can now exchange visits with each
other as freely and as comfortably as neigh.
boring cities of the same locality. First of
sll the great inventions TO overcome the
barriers in the way Of closer union between
the scattered portions of the globe was Full.
toms steamboat. This came into existence
with the young century, and though it met
with serious difficulties at the start, its tro.
pixies are to-day scattered upon all the seas
There is scarcely cove or bay in either
hemisphere which is not familiar with the
steamboat Next to this pioneer invention
came the locomotive engine with its pom
derous smoke stack and vigorous piston
rods. With the aid of this invention the
continent hs' he-H completely subdued, and
the ~ great oceans which lave its oppo
Sue shores have been virtually brought
Within sight OF each others surges
WHAT'S tue Of this continent in the net
true "a large measure, of foreign cont.
nents. Even the heart of Africa itself is
beginning to. throb with the pusations of
the locomotive engine.
Next in order came the telegraph, fol.
lowed by its kin, the AtlantcIcable, and later
on by the telephone. In view of what
these inventions have accomplished toward
uniting the scattered members Of the human
family into closer touch and sympathy, it is
not at all extravagant to say that the CEN
ury which is now closing has substantially
ped out the oceans and cemented the
le into one vast neighborhood
'hinventions have necessarily brought
asst changes in the worlds com
Formerly each nation was COM
rely upon Its own products with
ng permitted to enjoy the products
II nations, but with the facilities of
ortation which have followed 10 the
of the nineteenth century nations have
,e mutually dependent upon each
and every portion of the globe is
y in some measure tributary to every
portion.
1t what of the futureP When we can
i our quiet office and leisurely converse
parties in New York. Chicago, Boston,
ladelphia, and other great centers of
trade and commerce, is it possible for the
mind to impose any limit upon what the
future may bring forth. What other great
'anges will come about in the course of
me can only be coniectured, but in view
! the marvellous achievements which the
nineteenth century has brought to pass, the
prophet oil to- day can hardly do less than
predict manifold wonders for the twentieth.