The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-02
YESTERDAYS TEMPERATURES.
SOME POSSIBILITIES OF 1900.

Human expectation runs high re-
garding the year 1900 Great as are the
wonders that have come into being dur
ing the year which has just closed its
books, the world looks forward for much
more wonderful things and more of them
during the coming twelve months. The
event alone will prove whether the un-
bounded faith in the possibilities of the
future which distinguishes this genera
ton will be justified
There are at least few wonderful
things which are not unlikely to come to
pass during the year 1900. One of these is
the marvel of men taking wings and fly
ing into space, to go whittier they will
and return how and when they will and
entirely at their leisure. The problem of
aerial navigation has become much sim
plified France. ever foremost in advances
In this particular line of invention, has
produced some results within the past
year which render 1t extremely likely that
the only problem in the art still unsolved
will disappear before We have entered
on the twentieth century It's inventive
genius has furnished the wings. May it
not be that Yankee invention will teach
the world, even in the brief space of a
year, how to use it's wings with perfect
safety?
Just such work as this is now devolv-
ing on the ingenious Yankee regarding
the automobile. France has wrought
splendidly in the work of dipensing with
the horse in the less exciting journey of
the country road With almost absolute
assurance may 1t not be predicted that
the United states will bring the invention
to such perfection that it will be within
the reach of those who are not expected
to expend a small fortune in the purchase
of private coach? By whomsoever the
result is to be accomplished, it is GER
tain that the twentieth century will still
be in its youth when the horse has been
completely superseded for purposes of
private conveyance
The greatest blessing which the new
year may hold within its compass for US
all is the blessing of peace With the
proceedings of the peace convention rati-
fed by the principal nations of Europe,
the year 1900 will be certain to live in
history as the most memorable, even If
z the last, of the nineteenth century.
Before the twentieth century has
dawned the American republic will have
taken rank as one of the great naval
powers of the world, and the American
flag may, with the dawning of the new
era, become an object as familiar to
those who now go down in ships to the
sea as even the British union jack itself.
If this expectation is not realized, it will
be because this people recognize their
vassalage, at least in the domain of for
eign carrying commerce, to foreign pow
ers.
Most of us will live to welcome the
new century in, as we have lived to well
come the new year. Then, If French
genius has full play in the direction in
dictated by the press dispatches of the
G O b within the past few days, 1t may
not be impossible that some of us will
yet live even to usher in the twenty-drst
century also. For is it not recorded that
two scientists of Paris have discovered
the secret of perpetual life and have
sustained the far-sighted wisdom Of
Ponce de Leon? While these modest gem
tlemen expressly disclaim having ac-
qulred the divine power of prolonging life
indefinitely, they are certain that the ad-
dition of tribe of century or so to the
duration of human life is easily at their
disposal.
But after all, the year on whose
threshold we stand holds Its own secrets.
We can but guess at them. If, however,
it will render as high service to the
cause of human Advancement as did the
year which now peacefully slumbers in
the grave OF the past, 1t will have done
well.
Emperor William has scored what in