New-York tribune., 1901-01-06

ord, for our own reminder and for future ref
erence.
1t is in such spirit and from such point
of view that The Tribune publishes the sympo-
sum upon the nineteenth century-and. Incl
dentally. upon the twentieth-which is to be
found in ten pages of the present issue. The
essays cover a vast range Of topics. the en-
tire range. i'm fact, of genuine and general in
terest, and each one has been written with
thoughtful care by competent and expert au-
thorIty. The doings of the nineteenth century
are succinctly set forth, in the civil and mill
tary history of all nations in the evolution of
the United States in the discovery and explora-
tion of more lands for civilization to conquer,
in the scientific conquest of the elements and
the subjection Of matter to the dominance of
mind, In the progress of agriculture, manufact-
ures and commerce, In the organization of labor
and of capital, in literature. art, music the
drama and sports, and in those developments of
law education, social usage and religious ef
fort which, as we must gladly and confidently
believe, are forces increasingly and triumphantly
tending TO bring 1.-The statelier Eden back to
men," In doing this work our contributors
have aimed not at the pleasing OF the passing
moments fancy nor at the Utilization of imag-
inative and speculative nerves. They have
given fresh point TO the old saying that truth
is stranger than fiction, for the plain tales of
accomplished facts which they have here set
down are more wonderful than any of the
travaganzas produced by such writers NJ.
Jules Verne and his more or less futile imta-
tors. In that respect they have given to our
readers q work of unsurpassed fascination. But
they have also gone far beyond that, and have
produced a group of historical and philosophical
studies which In the best sense instructive
for the present and will in future-not only the
future of the present readers, who will care
fully preserve them. but the future of all time
afford invaluable compendium for reference
and for authoritative citation.
We cannot in this place enter into any de-
tailed review of these essays, nor indeed would
1T be desirable 10 do, seeing that every
reader will doubtless turn promptly TO them
and in diligent perusal make himself his own
reviewer II needs TO be said of them only that
their style is as engaging as their scope is ex-
tensive, and that their tone is as optimistic as
their theme is inspiring. He would, indeed be
hopeless pessimist who could think that the
colossal achievements of the last hundred years
have been In vain, and that the world is no
better and the standard of human existence no
higher because of them. Not only pessimist,
but blindest OF the blind, would he be who
should hold that because the nineteenth century
has surpassed all others OF our era in its at
tainments for human good the new century
and its successors will have in them but little
'of wonder surprise" That the nineteenth
century was the greatest OF all centuries 10
date that its record marks great advance of
human good and righteousness. and that it's
most resplendent triumphs are only faint fore
shinings of still more splendid achievements yet
TO come-such the convictions with which
each writer, and with which The Tribune, bids
adieu TO the past and welcomes the future, with
back turned toward the shadow and with face
turned steadily towari the constant sun.