Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-17
World Was Conuu|ssd I
Wars One Hundred
Years Ago.
- JAMES A. EDcERrox

poleon and the invention of the loco
motive made rather big tents in this
old world. 1t Is true tina, the little en-
peror was not banished L alba till the
following year, but the alitshce against
him that doomed his ase>Sidancy was
contaminated in 1913. II Is also true
that George Stephenson did not com.
plete his first travelling engine unul
1914, but he was at work on 1T the
year previous, so that 1918 should have
q share of the glory.
Superstitious people-and who among
us is entirely free?-are not a little
nervous about a year ending In the
hoodoo burdened 10. Some one has
gone to the trouble to point out not
only the downfall of Napoleon in 1913.
but the eclipse Of the Grand Monarch.
Louis XIV, in 1913 and other disas-
tiers that happened in 1913. 1913. etc.
All of this is respectfully referred to
the various ancient history societies
and the thirteen clubs. Meanwhile the
rest OF us can get all the apprehenstve
shiyers out Of the date that our sys-
tens REQUIRE. There is nothing uncon-
stitutional in being superstitious. even
though most of our troubles never &C.
cur.
In 1913 the population Of the United
States, as determined at the previous
census of 1910, was 1888, SS1. Eight
cen states composed the Union. the
original thirteen and the following sub
seauently admitted: Vermont. which
came in during 1901; Kentucky, admit
ted in 1892: Tennessee. 1895; ONO.
1903, and Louisiana. carved out Of the
then new Louisiana purchase. In 1917.
Nearly everything west Of the Ale
gheny mountains was raw frontier.
Washington was struggling and mud
dy country village and New York q
city Of about 100000 population.
/! Not Z Millionaire In the Land.
/ Somebody has said that transporta-
ton in the days Of William Pitt was
but little advanced from the time OF
julius Cnesar. Outside Of the steam
boat, the same statement would apply
to 1913. Even the steamboat had not
vet come into general use, the bulk OF
ocean vessels still carrying sail. me
steam engine in any form was In its
infancy. Lights commonly in use were
the candle, tallow dip and pine knot.
The stagecoach went numbering over
muddy and Ill kept roads. the Indian
was a menace in most Of the land.
education was confined to the few, and
there was not q millionaire in the re-
public.
{ Conditions in Europe were but little
better. War was still the chief occu-
patton Of men who amounted to any
thing. and at this very time the great
est warrior since Caesar had gone
through the devastating retreat from
Russia and was being hedged about by
his numerous foes and driven into q
corner.
( For a decade Napoleon had practical
" been Europe. He made Its map to
suit his whim. The kings ate out OF
his hand. He strobe through the ma
tons like an overload, accompanied by
the thunders Of war and the lightnings
of victory. He preached the gospel OF
the French revolution In tones so
loud that they have not yet ceased to
reverberate. He was the man OF iron
that broke the nations to pieces and
revealed the bits into his own personal
empire. He was both scourge and
an evangel, a destroyer and rebuild
er, mighty warrior and a great execu-
tive. In all hearts he aroused extreme
passions. Men either idolatrously loved
or feared and hated him. Napoleon was
one Of those prodigious figures that Will
shine through thousands OF years and
will be an enigma to all Of them.
!, Beaten by Nonresistance.
Russia conquered Napoleon without
,fishting him. True she did meet him
ut bloody Borodino. but it was not Bor-
odino that gave him the fatal check
from which he never recovered. He
was q victor in the battle. but could
not overcome the frost and starvation
that encompassed his legions. Russia
defeated this greatest OF soldiers Dy
nonresistance. The retreat from Mos
COW broke not only his own grand
army, but the spell he held over Eu-
rope. After all. he was but mortal.
The lion had fallen into the pit. ana
before he could emerge his enemies
were on him in a pack.
Il The retreat occurred in the early
winter and Ney brought the remr ants
OF the grand army across the Nhmen
in December. The emperor had hurl
jried on before and was already back
In Paris raising another army. He was
still to win few victories. but lacked
the old swiftness and decision. The re-
,cruits had to be drilled aud this used
Iup precious time. The workman who
hears the tool in his hand does not
strike his hardest or surest blow. Es-
!peciaily is this true II his work Is the
carving Of empires.
|; Heartened by the news from RUSSIA
Prussia made an alliance with the car
In Apg,ist Austria followed suit. This
made the formidable alliance against
Napoleon consist of England. Russia,
Prussia, Austria and Sweden.
In the spring the emperor had mis-
new armies in the field and In May
! won the battles cf Latzen aud Baut-
zen. The great light at Dresden oc-
CURED in August. This was practically
the last Of his victories. In defiance OF
the hosts gathered against him he held
on when retreat would have been wise
yeneFalship. Possibly he did not know