The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-12-28
1T is MS H e D.
The Independent.

The Independent.
The year goes sadly at the best, for no one
cares to live away from joy-and in many
ways each year manages to make itself mem
orable for its blessings. 1907 will be remember
ed for its large, but not banner, crops, and for
its remarkably high prices. This has told we'll
for the farmer, who today stands head and
shoulders above the whole crowd of Industrial
lists. Ten years ago it was agriculture depressed.
Today it is agriculture at the front. But the
"laboring classes have so much more to pay
high bread, high potatoes, high apples, high
coal, balanced by high wages. On the whole,
no class is without reasonable compensation
for honest effort, put forth with tact and edu-
Gated skill.
How the year worked at its loom The
threads few fast to make warp and wool, and
and the pattern no man could quite foresee.
But no year ever more clearly demonstrated
that man is master of conditions and circum-
stances, if he is first master of himself. The
new farmer is man of accurate knowledge !;
he is trained to combat. From early to late,
each month brings its problems, and the igno-
ramus is helpless. The day has gone by for
giving our best schooling to our preachers and
lawyers while the landowner must content
himself with the three RS. The old-fashioned
farmer, with his narrow outlook, might work
upon such basis but he is displaced by the
scientist. The new farmer is to constitute the
highest educated class in the nation. Heo owns
a university in every State, and the only school
of experimental philosophy and research, for
today the only philosophy that reckons with
the people is that of applied science.
1t is finished, and one can see what has been
woven There has been altogether year of
peace The wars in Central America and in
Africa have been merely skirmishes. Russia
and England have come to terms on a century
old struggle in Asia, and the Cape-to- Cairo
railroad is we'll under way. In this country
we are certainly making some progress with
the Panama Canal, but better progress with q
great internal waterway system which will
bind together the interests of every section of
the United States. The Hague Conference
stood for world longing, and 1t gave less sat-
isfaction because the peace sentiment has
grown so strong as to become an age convlc-
ton. The commonpeople will soon decree ces
sation of war. We need all our energies and all
our acquisitions to keep ourselves well on the
road ofhigher civilization and enlightment.
At home more closely we have new democ-
racv coming into power. The autocracy of
capital is broken. The allpowerful trust has
become weaker than a single man with gen.
erous principle and manly aim. Better even
than this, a new order of statesman has doomed
up 1t began with those selected by the peo-
Die to enforce law. Folk. Of Missouri, led the
way; it was a simple path, that of duty. and
the people made him Governor. In New York,
Charles Evans Hughes was made of the same
stuff and the people approved him. The ma
chine is broken-it appears to be without pos
sible recovery. The new maxim of statesman
ship is Trust the People. 1t was strange,
and, on the whole, a wonderful affair, the po-
Iitical machine-ramifed into every hamlet
and almost every home, but its futility, as COM
pared with honor and trust, has been demon
strated Be honest, fair and frank with the
people, and they will return your confidence
1907 will be remembered for its cold weather.
needed to divert evil as well as breed or foster
the helpful. Insects that were dominant and
determined have been so checked by the cold
as not to be feared, while some of them have
been oblterated. The long autumn compen-
stated for the slow development of the summer,
and so we have nearly full corn crop and
little damage in our vineyards At any rate
here we are thoroly prosperous on the thresh-
hold of new year. and ready to try what an
other twelve months has to demand OF us. As
A people we are facing new sort OF future.
Internationalism cannot be escaped. We are
only four days from Europe. Washington's
Farewell Address can no longer guide usin our
relations to European people. Our trade is in
evitably tangled with that of Germany. Our
educational and our religious life are affected
nv transcontinental logic and legislation.
World economies are sure to displace American