New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-01
A CENTURY or BENEFITS.

When people began writing Is instead of IL
in dating Their letters il was q different world.
Steam had not moved a beat nor a car: cleo
triciiy had not begun talking nor melting: steel
was known chiefly as good material for swords
and razors: no oil wells were giving light 10
the world: there were fewer people In the Ma
\ tion than now In this State and Pensacola.
New-Orleans and 81. Louis were foreign terri
tory. The expansion which some good people
view with horror had not begun. This city had
not expanded far The Tribune office
its northern boundary being the lower line of
City Hall Park. A little over 100000 people
then formed the Nation which now has some
thing 70 do with the worlds affairs.
From 1900 10 1889 has been the longest step
the human race has taken on this planet. To
the amazing progress which has really created
n new world this country has contributed more
than It's share Fulton started steamboats, on
the Hudson. Morse made wires talk and Field
abolished the difference of week between
the Old World and the New. Ttusville started
lights all over the world. and more gold than
ell the world possessed a century ago has come
from mines not then but now within the United
States We do not quite feed the world. but
In exporting over 42O,OO0.00D bushels wheat
and corn in the year just closed send it
Had not the century brought this new supply
OF food and also found in the United states
a home for about twenty million people from
Europe. there would be less comfort to-day in
other lands There Is no other land in the
world which does not owe something, in one
way or another. to this new country. which had
scarcely being and of no consequence In
the affairs Of nations when the century began.
a "A
naper TO mention the useful inventions which
Tho world owes 10 Americans Of the past cent
urv II is enough 10 say that. in all the won
derful progress OF that century, this country
has perforincd its full share and more. But
II has accomplished stll more in the emancipa-
zion Of human thought. Without unkindness
Of feeling il may be said that self government
IN France has not produced such results as TO
make the people Of other countries deeply re-
gret their forms Of government. The Dreyfus
matter here AT the end of the century. does
NOT show n higher degree Of real freedom than
may be found in some countries not free from
monarchica forms. But the century has gwen
I'm the United States q startling Illustration OF
the prosperity and happiness which can he AZ
tanned under free institutions. II may be grant
cd that rare and peculiar opportunities nave
contributed 10 that singular success. Separa-
NON NV n wide ocean from complication with
the affairs Of older nations has done much a
her,tog, Of soil and climate and mines such AZ
M other nation has possessed has done more
20 make this people prosperous seh-selechoh
of the picked and brightest and most enter
prtsIng men from other lands, millions bringing
b,tber energies and ideas worth NOR" than all
the cold we have exported has also helped great
~ Rut behind all stapds the fact that The sct-
governing Nation Of the West has become WIN
IN a century the richest and most powerful o'
ali nations. yet preserving to every Hhabi''n''
r,cl or poor the same protection Of eHua' 'a"s'
II Is not TOO much 10 say that this spec''cie
has profoundly Influenced The ins'i'u''ohs VI
other countries. Monarchs no longer wear 'hc''
crowns as private and personal ad'ah'asf
without the form Of popular government, 'ney'
are becoming every year more o's''"e"'