The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-01-21

WRITTEN FOE THE SUNDAY EErURLIC
The center Of tho whole storm OF con-
troversy as 20 whether We are in tie last
year of the Nineteenth Cntury. or the first
year of the Twentieth Century. Is ut Clay
ton. the county seat of 81. Louis County.
And the center Of the center OF the storm
IS in the Office Of Peter Kerth. Sheriff OF
ST. Louis County.
Not that Sheriff Peter Kerth IL a pivot
upon which the discussion Is ceuJered. lie
IS not, The Sheriff is claimed by both
sides; and the amount Of contenling that
he does IS only sufficient 20 keep the dis
cussion going. For the Sheriff dearly loves
20 listen 10 and watch an argument.
There are two well-organizeG sides 70 the
discussion of the question Of what century
we are in at Clayton. At the head Of the
army that claims the Nineteenth Century
has ended and that the Twentieth Century
has begun is Richard II. S;erers. "a law
Yer, and a ma. who can argue the ques-
tion so that a douhter Is perfectly willing,
when he gets through with him, 70 confess
that ne doesn't know. but what this may
be, after all. the Seventeenth. or may be
Thirteenth Century.
n INC Aicda q Inc GklaT S.lc Is joan
X Wsrffeld. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney.
and also a gentleman who can argue a
man into or out Of 4 belief as TO whether
he is wearing a coat of mail or a plain.
everyday sack coat with a fancy vest.
That is. these gentlemen can argue any
body but a Claytouite into their ways OF
believing. With a Claytonite ;t IS different.
Every man. woman and child in Clayton
has Hic or her mind fully r7r1a -, nc .,
what cycle Of time we are living in, and
arguments on the other side Of the question
fall from them as water IS said to faIl from
& ducks back
Mr.. Stevens. however, is credited With
one conversion-and It IA the only one that
anybody out there is credited with L is re-
lated that at the beginning of the con-
troversy that has now become famous. J..
I. Cunning. one OF the best-kuown con-
tractors in the county. was firm IN a belief
that this was the last year OF the Nine
teenth Century. Now Mr.. Dunuing IS as
firmly OF the opinion that We are in the
first year Of the Twentieth Century as he
IS that he knows how 20 build a house. And
Sc IS said that the arguments that caused
Mr.. Dunntng TO Join the ranks OF the Twen-
tieth Century advocates were thos. ad-
vanced by Mr.. Stevens.
49, ~ - lt
change in the personnel Of the two sides
90 the arguments. The man that Was an
advocate of the theory that we are in he
Twentieth Century is stNl OF that opinion,
aid the arguments that cause ordinary
people TO take the other side fal! broken
against the arTnUr OF confidence IN tho
Tightfulness Of his opinion that the CLAYTON
Ste always wears.
For e tine tho discussions at CLAYTON
were Informal affairs. Then there was M
effort at organization. But after a while
the matter became too serious TO be con-
E'deTed In an Informal way. The crowds Of
oebaters grew too large, the arguments b.
came too extensive. And So the ACCESSIBILITY
OF getting the thing on q business basis was
considered II met with favor. Of course
the "Twenties." being at least a year ahead
OF time, according 20 the count of +he
"Anti-Twenties." were the first to complete
their organization They formed a Tween
ueth Century Club and Mr.. Stevens WAS
elected president. A few days later the
other side organized the "Auti-Twentieth
Country Club" and elected John r. War
field as their president. This gave a new
impetus TO the discussion; and people who .
said that there could not be any more in
terest in the matter than lad already been
taken Were forced TO admit that Their. were
some things that they aid not know in as-
vance.
Among the members of the "Trvantiatbs.,
Gre President Stevens. Doctor william e.
tor. Fred Henkin. Fred HgIrocber ! l. I
Cumming. William Seve-Ds Frank Kr.urs
l.. L. Dosenbach, Albert AuteHrcith and .
Gus Heidorn- Among those Of the Anti
Twentieths" are President WarfeId. John
Pfaf, j. b. Sudduth. John Osborne. Fred
Essen, Peter Wetzel. Judge WurI.r,r
Judge a. ]. Shoers ami Gaorge " W..
There are constant additions o., N. ranks 49,.
both sides; for while eyervha.lv ,n CT,v,,r
has become involved in The dis,ussi,, 90
the question. not evervbody has vet n.c.,,.
a member of one or the Other nf Tho ..lYt.
1t Is planned that A, an early ,I,t. In.
will he a joint meeting of the cluhs IN ASA.