Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-12-30
The Twentieth Century.

The Twentieth Century.
An authoritative answer to the allah
sorbing question when the new century
begins has just been given by NJ. Camil.
lie Flammarion, the distinguished as
tronomer and anthor. An authoritative
answer his statement may well be styled
since this is subject on which no is Pc
culiarly fitted to speak with authority.
/ Chronology and astronomy are closely
allied, and being an adept astronomer,
M. Flammarion is necessarily also spec
Tally well qualified to grapple with any
problem the solution OF which depends
on right understanding of chronology.
From his statement, which covers the
ground thoroughly, the following pass
ages are taken:
''If we look back at the past we will
find documents in the year 1899, 1899,
and 1899 in which this subject was dis
cussed, and a century hence, in 1999 our
descendants will be discussing the same
old aubject. A century ago the discus
sions weLe unusually lively, and extend
ed even to the theater. In 1900 play
appeared with the title, Dear God, in
What Century are We Living?' This
very question we of today are again ask
ing.
'Franciscque sarcey, the distinguish
ed critic, says the year 1900 will be the
dawn of the twentieth century. He is
mistaken. The dawn OF the twentieth
century will not come in 1900, even
though we constantly hear that that the
of 1900 will commemorate e
birth OF the new century. On tho con-
trary, it will commemorate the end of a
century, The year 1900 will be the ev-
ening before the new century, and the
dawn will not begin until after midnight.
'This seemingly difficult problem is
really very easy of solution. A dozen
consists of twelve units. The number
u is "a part of the dozen. One hundred
consists OF 100 units, and the number
100 is part thereof. Now, il is clear
that there never was a year 0 in Christ
ian chronology. The first year was No.
|, the tenth year was No 10, and the
year of the first century was
,he year 100
"What has led many persons astray
has probably been the change in the first
,wo figures OF the year, az we see in the
case of 1799-1800 or 1799-l9OO. A similar
change, however, is made when 8 be-
comes 10, or when 80 becomes 100. If
anyone gives me 100 cents l have dol |
lar, but the hundredth cent is juss as
necessary to my first dollar as the nine
tieth. My hundred and first cent is the |
beginning of my second dollar. The
hundredth is, in fact, necessary portion
81 the dollar.
"1n like manner the hupdredth year
belongs to the year that ia dying. Ex-
actly, therefore, at midnight of Deem
Der 81, 1900, Will the hour glass of the
century run out and at the
next moment the twentieth century will
start on ite career,
M. Flammarion then touches on an
other most interesting question.
owe know now when, but do We know
where, the new century will begin ?" he
asks. Twill it begin exactly at mid
night in Paris, London, New York or
Jerusalem Exactly at midnight in ev-
cry country is the answer, Yes, but
when it is midnight in Paris it is a. M.
in Vienna. Will the Austrians then be-
gin the century before the French?
Certainly they will. And this brings
up the timely question, What country
will DO the first to greet the new century?
"When the clocks in New York indi-
cate that it it midnight on December 81,
1900, it is already 5 O'Clock in the morn