Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-30
1Ew ENGLAND may have seen

lfEN ENGLAND may nave seen
lNNl the first Thanksgiving celebra-
il NJ ton, and Philadelphia may
have inaugurated the Fourth
OF July racket. but the initial New
Years day observed by white men on
American soil was celebrated on the
Island of Haiti Jan. 1. 1893. Just what
there was to that celebration will new
er be known. Columbus, for he was
master of ceremonies. was so busy
with other matters that he failed to
leave a record. But il is impossible
that Europeans should have let their
first New Years in new world pass
by without some observance.
1t was on the LIST day of January,
1892, by the way. that Columbus met
the sovereigns of Spain. Ferdinand and
Isabella, and concluded with them the
contract for his voyage of exploration
and discovery. That might be called
the initial New Years. though it was
not spent in America. Ii was u sort of
prophecy, as it were. of The day that
was To be spent in the then undiscov-
cred country one year later.
1t was not until August that the
three ships got under way. Then they
sailed into new seas i'll search of
continent that had been hidden from
the knowledge of man all through the
ancient and middle ages. But Column
bus did not know that he was to find
such Il continent. He was seeking a
western route TO India and died in the
belief that the land he found was n
part of Asia. He accomplished more
than he knew. The divinity that
shapes our ends" was kinder TO him
than his own provision.
Across the unknown ocean he sailed
until, almost becalmed in the tropic
seas, each of his vessels was like
painted ship upon painted ocean" 1t
was then that the crews well nigh mu-
tinted. Only the indomitable will and
courage of Columbus kept them upon
their way. At last floating seaweed
and dying birds told of approaching
land. BY following the flight of the
birds the new shore was sighted. Amer
lea was discovered, and n new era was
opened i'll the history of humanity.
Ii was IN October that the landing
was made. ,1he thing was accom-
plished, or Columbus thought it ac
complished, of which he had dreamed
from youth. Through poverty, neglect,
ridicule and rebuffs he had sought all
through the intervening years for peo-
pie of means who would take interest
in his dream. So great was the stress
OF his soul that he had gone white
headed at thirty, and now lie was far
past forty. But he had been faithful
to his vision, and his reward had come.
From island TO island the voyagers
passed until Cuba was reached and
then Haiti, where the discoveries flag
ship was wrecked The natives, who
We're delighted with the visit of the
white men. helped him save his wreck.
age and cared for him and his crews
until he was ready for the return Voy-
age. 1t was Christmas morning when
Columbus landed at Guarico, and il
was Jan. A, 1493, when he sailed away
for Spain. SO the New Years day was
spent among the hospitable Haitian ma
tiveS
The birth of 1906 marks the four
hundred and thirteenth anniversary of
the day since then, very brief time in
the life of the world. but a very long
time in the annals of progress. The
Spain from which Christopher Colum-
bus sailed has passed into eclipse,