The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-30
AT BIRTH OF DYING CENTURY.
The Americans of lSO0-lSOi Celebrated in the
Same Spirit as That of Their Descend
ants of 100 Years Later.

the clubs of the DAY Informal meetings
were held. il was not until evening that
the small boys, aided and ahetted by the
older ones, built huge Ares OF whatever
material was nearest at hand. All the
town was illuminated and when mid
night came the church bells rang out thu
cid and In the new century. Men and
women congratulated one another, and the
century was born,
Congress was so busy with the con-
tested election between Jefferson and
Burr that no cognizanee was taken or tho
change Of centuries, The work Of both
houses went ON uninterruptedly. tho
treaty pending with France occupying
much time
They had the same old discussion ono
hundred years ego that has been rack
Ing the souls OF the latter-day public.
All through the country discussion was
rife for nearly year as TO when ths
new century hegan-~just as we discussed
the matter during the last twelve months,
Pro Bono ruhlieo, Seratas. Juaex, A Citi-
zen and other we3l-known rersonages who
still survive wrote 20 the paners I'm sun-
port OF their respective stand. and acri-
montous debates ensued. Finally II was
decided thar the new century began Jam
nary !, 1891 Several weli-intantsonea
though mistaken gentlemen had already
celebrated the occasion on January l. i~o,
and enc or them wrote a harsh letter To
the papers, announcing that he would
take no part IN any subsequent chrono-
logical lamhoree whatsoever However.
the event passed of very nicely without
his allotment.
As for the nawspa ners. each ana every
enc had weighty editorial or two. wei
coming the new century and rcgretting
the old, Washington had been dead only
two years and two weeks and repeated
mention was made % him IN the most
complimentary terms. irrespective u par
~ Affiliations The Boston Independent
Chronicle ON the first day OF the nine
teenth century saids
This day commences the nineteenth
century. The great events which havs
arisen az the close OF the eighteenth crn-
fury are TO he matnred In the progress OF
the nineteenth Whether the rightr az
men or the deapotlxm OF tyrants shall he
established on a permanent basis are SUBJ
tects with which tho womb 90 the present
century Is pregnant. Monarchy has fallen
with rapfd celebrity Hierarchy has ex-
pired IN Europe In violent commissions
Liberty. rational philosophy and Chris
tian catholicism have assumed their ma
tive dignity. In America the prospect IN
peculiarly brilliant The people begin 10
think and TO ACT nnawed by tho threats
OF mnnarchists or the frcwns OF priestly
fanatics, they aame forward IN a manly
attitude IN vindieation OF their constitu-
tlunai rights"
The Columbian Centtnei tspeiied with q
"C'o. published In Boston, contained n
long doREereI entitled ''Tha Fniightened
Eighteenth Century. or tho Age % Rea-
son." In which every public man Of note
received hack-handsd compliment
One on the most interesting Of these
contributions TO new century literature
was letter 20 the Providence Gazette.
signed "a" which ends thus:
1T would be pleasing to live one hum
dred years hence, in order 10 SEQ what
changes with take place II any are with
lis who liyed Al the beginning OF the past
century Il must he an entertainment for
them "a see the different state 81 things
| IN ifHl from that OF the present time. II
would, imagine. hs much more de-
Tirahia object to live uutil tho year isi.
because a greater change In tho AFFAIRS
OF the weird seems TO be promised,