Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-01-01
THURSDAY, JANUARY l, 1903.
THE OLD AND THE NEW.

The scroll of time continues to unroll.
Another year has gone and another has
been uShered in. Many of lis know much
of what the recent past has disclosed.
How many Of us now living can family
conceive of what the future will bring
forth?
The second year of the twentieth Gen.
tury vas not as prolific of startling public
events in the civilized countries of the
world as were many different years and
periods of the preceding century. 1t was
comparatively year of peace, and, with
rare exceptions, Of plenty: and, therefore,
happy year in the worlds recorded his
tory.
While other countries have done well in
progress and development none have
equalsd the United States in these partic-
ulars. Our domestic and foreign trade in
volume was greater than for any year in
our history as a nation. or that of any
country in any year that has been record
ed. The country has been thoroughly
afiame with a spirit of intelligent CONNER
cialism; and, though many pessimists
have wagged their heads in disapproval,
that spirit has been a striking proof of our
superiority as a nation. The spirit of CON-
mercialsm has been accompanied by a
wonderful growth of the spirit of benevo'
lence and turning away from the selfish
greed that makes nation cruel. Individ-
ual and organized acts of benevoence
were of such frequent occurrence that
many valuable object lessons were furnish
ed, proving that men may become rich
without necessarily becoming mean. Vast
fortunes have been made and vast for
tunes have been expended to ameliorate
the condition of the suffering and unen-
lghtened of the land. The year 1902 was
not year in which the rich became richer
and the poor became poorer. There was
tremendous increase in the wealth of the
nation, and all classes of citizens were
shareholders in and drew dividends from
the increased wealth. These happy con-
ditions have not been confined to particu.
lar, preferred sections, but have prevailed
in every SECTION of the Union. Here, in
Southwest Virginia, we have enjoyed
higher degree of prosperity than we have
ever known before. Capital has been
coming in and being invested, our natural
wealth has received an enlarged develop
ment, labor has been constantly and prof.
itably employed, many new industrial
enterprises have sprung up, and our agri-
cultural interests have advanced in i'm
portance to a very marked degree. Money
has been abundant, and easily obtained at
a cheap rate of interest by those who de-
sired to secure loans.
We know what the year 1902 brought
us as a nation, and we should be content
ed, even happy, over what we have re-
ceived. There is no reason for fearing
that 1908 will not he for our country
as fruitful of blessings as was the
last year. There has been an in.
creased acreage of cereals and it is in evi.
dence that there will be strong effort on
the part of the farmers and planters to
greatly increase all kinds of agricultural |
products. If the seasons prove favorable, |
our land will again TEEN with plenty. |
With vast surplus of agricultural pro-
ducts to supply to other peoples our rail
roads will be kept busy transporting them
to seaports. Besides, there is no likeli
hood of the demand made by foreign |
countries for our manufactured products
decreasing.
Let us all hope and believe that the new
year will be more successful one for us as
nation than the one just gone, but we
will surely be satisfied if it proves as good.