The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-23

When does the twentieth century begin
at the close of 1899 or 1900?
CHARLES NJ. WILLIAMS.
Butte Feb. %, 1899
Scores of queries similar to the above
have been received by the Standard and
every few days the Butte office is asked to
decide bets on the same question. 1t
seems to be a matter upon which many
intelligent people disagree, though, as a
fact, the next century will begin with the
Is, of January, 1900
The same question was a fruitful topic
for discussion in the world a few hundred
years ago. Katharine SCHUYLER Baxter of
Oswego. N. Y, is the possessor of the fol-
lowing interesting letter written by her
REORGANIZATION, General Philip Schuy-
Ter, of historic fame, to his eldest daugh-
ter, Mrs. Church, and is most unique
otsquisition of that much mooted ques-
ton: when does the century begin?"
Albany, Feb. IL, 17s9.-My Beloved An
selica: Since my letter to you on the
controversy relative to the termination of
the present century it has occurred to me
that an investigation of the subject from
mere abstract deductions would not be
comprehended with so much facility as
when elucidated by a diagram in which
the sense of sight might be brought to
aid the mental reasoning. have projected
the inclosed which, with such cbsaTva-
tons thereon and such conclusions as I
stall adducc therefrom, 1 have the pre-
sumption to believe will determine the
question and bring the contending parties
to coincide in opinion.
Whether Christ was born at the
beginning of the first moment of
the first day of month now by
us called January, or at the beginning
OF the first moment of the first day or any
other day of any other month, is perfectly
immaterial in the solution of the question
under consideration. 1t is agreed on all
hands that the Christian era commenced
with the birth of Him.
II shall therefore premise the following
postulata:
"First-That the birth of Christ was in
the beginning of the first moment of the
first day of the month of January.
"Second-That the Christian era is made
up of a continued series of time called
years.
'Tlird-That a year commences with
the first particle of time of the first day
of January and terminates with the end
of the last day of the then following
December, and that year consists of 10
calendar months as they are named in our
"Fourth-That 100 such years constitute
a century.
"Iifth-That between the last particle of
time of the last day of any December and
the beginning of the first particle of time
of the first day of the then succeeding
January no time intervenes, but that both
are in contact the one beginning where
the other ends, and that this holds with
respect to continued series OF space as
well as time.
THE truth of these five postulata l sup
pose will not be contested, and, having
promised this l proceed to observe:
That with respect to Christ (if we may
on this occasion be permitted to consider
Him as one of the human race time as to
Him was not before but commenced with
His birth; that the moment of His birth
was therefore the first moment of the
christian era. from whence the computa-
ton of years and centuries is to COM
mence, and that hence it follows the
Christian era is a series of years in arith-
metical progression, the first term whereof
Gas, beginning with the beginning of the
nrst particle of time, tO-Wit: with the
birth of ChriStD is IL cipher or 0. and each
interval OF the series or common differ
cnce is one year, and if carried on to any
number of years, as to the end of the last
moment of the year 49, which by postulate
the fifth is the beginning of the first mo-
ment of the year 100, the number of inter-
walls or years interviewed will be 100, or a
century completed, and. ergo. if the series
had been continued to the end of the last
moment of 1199 which by postulate the
fifth is the beginning of the first moment
OF the year 1900, complete $500 years will