Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-31
TIE DYING Century.

The clock is on the last stroke; the
final sand grain is running There is
always feeling of awe upon the soul,
always a realizing sense of times re-
sistless flight and an unwonted ten
dency to serious reflection, when the
moment comes which is the invisible
line of demarkation between one year
and another. How much deeper is
that feeling how much stronger
that tendency when one century dies
and another dawns. Only once at the
best does the most favored mortal ap-
preciate what it means to step from one
century into another. And never since
time began was there such a wonder
full century to leave behind as the
nineteenth, never such a glorious CEN
tury to step into as the twentieth.
Now, more than ever, it is true that
I'VE are living. we are dwelling
In a grand and awful time;
In an age or ages telling
To be living is sublime.
The story of the century that ends
at the stroke of the next midnight
cannot be told in a few words No
summary can do it justice. The record
of it's achievements and of the mar
velous progress made in every line of
human endeavor fills volumes and
libraries untilra the human mind is
dazed in the effort to comprehend it.
No previous century. perhaps it is not
centuries combined. ever saw so much
accomplished for the good of man.
kind. We who see the 18th century
die have infinite advantages and op-
portunities over those who saw its
birth. The great revolutionizing
agencies of steam, electricity and the
printing press now give every intelli-
gent man a right to say, THE world
is minei" In one sense the world is
much larger than it was, 100 years
ago; from another point of view it is
much smaller. In all respects it is a
better and fairer world to live in
Among the numberless great events
and deathless achievements of the
18th century, the one which stands
supreme is the building of our own
American republic to it's present proud
position of glory and power. 1t is
alike an event and an achievement:
an event in the progress of the ages
through which one increasing pur-
pose runs and a marvellous achieve
ment of the brain and muscle. the in
tegrity and industrial genius of the
finest races of mankind. A hundred
years ago, this day, few million
people scattered along the Atlantic
great founder of the republic. Foreign
compiled tons and internal differences
threatened the very existence of the
structure whose corner stone he had
laid. The horizon had many dark
clouds for the infant nation when the
18th century daWned. How different
CT tiit btiNi VI tIlt -Ulu century, III
growth of wealth and population and
in expansion Of territory SURPRISING
the world, the United States has be-
come the greatest and strongest OF
nations. with the wisest government.
with unequalled resources. and facing
the future with the brightest pros
poets. To the intelligence and energy
of it's people is due the greater part
of the progress which makes the
scientific, industrial and commercial
record of the century so wonderful.
For the world, for our country and
for every individual the closing hours
of the century are pregnant with sug-
gcstiOn. The past has it,
achievement. and with it its
lesson and its inspiration to help
us in meeting the greater re-
sponsib!ities and the wider opportu-
mites which the new century affords
The passing of the century does not
deprive us of the good it has wrought.
The unsurpassed richness of it's heri-
tage is ours.