The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-01-01
WEATHER YESTERDAY.
WHAT OF The NEW CENTURY,


WHAT OF THE NEW CENTURY?
One hundred years ago the western
boundary OF the United States WIS
fixed at the Mississippi river in the
north and the eastern border OF Louis
lana in the south. The population was
a trifie over FIVE and one-quarter mil
lion The century has witnessed the
most wonderful strides ever made rs
any nation in the history Of the world.
The last census showed a population
OF over 10000 900, while in wealth the
nation has far outgrown any other na-
tion on The globe. From the circum-
scribed area bounded east and west by
the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi
river the nation has expanded until il
takes in all the North American con
tinent south Of the forty-ninth parallel
and north OF the Rio Grande river and
has now extended across the Pacific
ocean besides taking IN some of the
Islands Of the West Indies No longer
a week and struggling republic it has
become one Of the foremost nations Of
the world and is now reckoned with ~
the great powers in all world affairs
What a fitting thing for the Hawaiian
Islands that the end Of the nineteenth
century should find them a part Of
this great nation.
One hundred years ago these islands
were virtually an unknown group in
the Pacific ocean Today they repre-
sent a Territory of the United States
with selfgovernment under United
States laws. Manhood suffrage exists
and the people elect their own legis-
iature and have a voice in affairs that
was undreamed OF a century ago.
Education has flourished. arts and
sciences are cultivated and today Ha-
wall ranks with any part of the United
States. in wealth. education and the
cultivation of her citizens.
In no part or the United States have
the strides been greater in the cen
fury just closed than in Hawaii. One
hundred years ago Kamehameha was
battling to unite all the Islands into
one kingdom and such a thing as civil
government had not been thought of.
Re-, ~ tho l,ag,p,;py ~ tho Saonp1
quarter of the century education had
only Just begun. but in the three
quarters of a century since ii has
made such wonderful strides that the
man or woman in Hawaii who cannot
read or write in some language is the
rare exception. The people regardless
of race or color are essentially a read
ing people.
Agriculture and commerce have
made strides in keeping with those Of
education. The products of Hawaii
for the year just closed reached tota
Of more than fifty millions of dollars.
Her exports alone were upwards II
twenty millions.
For years a prey to the great pow
ers of Europe Hawaii now rests secure
In the midst OF the Pacific a part and
parcel of the greatest nation in the
world. No naval guards stand at her
doors or forts or giant guns guard
her harbors. but ali rest secure in the
very fact that the power and majesty
Of the mightissC nation the sun has
ever shown upon stands as the father
TO these sea-girt Isles.
We know that the new century will
see Hawaii connected with the main
land by cable; we know that il will
see Honolulu mighty trading port
due TO the building OF the Nicaragua
canal. but no man can foretell the
wonderful strides that will be made
in the next hundred years. II is reas.
enable TO say however that the real
progress has only Just begun and that
the strides Of the next quarter of
century will so far outstrip those OF
the last quarter that this past period
viii have seemed to have made very
slow progress in comparison with that
which viii be made in the years 40
come.
Today the United States is nation
on whose flag the sun never sets
What will it be one hundred years
hence9