The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-01-05
Iso0-l900.


the sea. The year 1899 vanishes /
with Europe looking forward to a I
general political upheaval and Amer.
lean imperialists pluming them 'elves
for conquest.
The closing year with its Worlds |
Peace Conference and its hostile ma
tiOns passes into history with a rec
ord Of strange Inconsistencies in the |
public affairs of men; the crying of
"peace. peace, when there is no
peace
The year 1899 witnessed the close
of the greatest drama ever enacted
in real life; "L'atfaiie Dreyfus,"
which held the whole civilized world
spell bound with interest while it
occupied the stage of France.
The mortuary list of 1899 ia neces-
sarily long one when the war roll
is called. Many brave men have met
the soldiers always probable fate,
and fill soldiers graves. Our own
country has lost one of her truest
men and most trusted officers in She
death of General Lawton, who is the
most conspicuous figure that has fall
len in the war in the Philippines.
Chief among the prominent Amer
leans who have died within the
year are the names of TWO men so
widely different in character, so far
apart in thought, SO widely divergent
in action, that only the fact that
they form an interesting study of
comparison would place their names
side by side; Robert G. IngersOll and
Dwig hit L. Moody ; the noted agnostic
and the famous evangelist. Each has
left an influence. The Word of God
and the cOnscienCes Of men testify
whose memory of the two will be
held in everlasting honor. The year
1899 records their death, but the in
fluence which they eXerted over
public thought will be felt, who can
say how long.
The year has been one of great bust
ress activity, as we'll as political un-
rest. The world has been busy in
the days of 1899. The steel indus
try. or rather the iron industry, ia
said to be the barometer of trade"
An unusual demand for steel raised
the price of that commodity and
started the buzz of labor and the
wheels of trade along all the branch
es of work. The South mas gathered
great cotton crop from her fields
and is manufacturing it largely at
home, which indicates true progress
along natural lines and is bright
augury for the future.
The war critics now say that
England was so burdened by the
military prestige she had to bear
that her movements were restricted.
She went to South Africa with the
ball and chain loading her down.
Her prestige'Nad to be upheld, so
she could nOjrs sort to retreats, de.
lays, solidifying, Fabian tactics and
such like methods OF warfare. re
win on the aggressive was the only
course to pursue, in keeping with
the dignity of her character. A re.
treat before the Beers would have
aroused great indignation at home
and an immediate demand for q
change of leaders. To have solidi
fed the forces of Great Britain
would have been public acknowl
edgement of the enemy's strength
which England was not willing t
concede.
The weight of public opinion wa,
too great to allow Great Britain
any choice but simply to advanc,
and fight. The result of such {
policy has been seen in the disas
trous losses she has sustained il
every engagement she has under
taken, and with her losses, the mill
tary prestige which she had fell
bound to uphold when planning tn,
campaign. The fortunes of wal
have shown Great Britain that he
reputation as the most militant ma
tion on earth was to her disadvan
tage. Her loss of prestige will en-
able General Lord Roberts and Gen
eral Kitchener to Vancouver an,
solidify forces without ceusure
Whatever their plans may be it i
evident that they will not be handi
capped by the ogoism OF The British
nation. That is all gone, and the.
are faced by the fact now that the.
have foemeu worthy their steel, an,
that they must send forward thei
bravest sons aud put forth thei
best efforts.