Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-12-31
CLOSING OF
HISTORIC YEAR.

nearly run. When the clock in the
City Hall steeple shall begun to toll
out the hour of midnight the old yeal
will have finished its course. Bells
will be ringing. steam whistles Shrek
ing and other manifestations of greet
ing will. be heard when the clock be,
gins to strike twelve.
One year ago the great mass OF
The people Of the world little dream
ed that 1914 was to add such q vol
ume to history. Its successor may
I've pregnant with more momentous
events. Who can tell what will Occur
on this mundane sphere by this
time next year?
The age and body Of the times.
its form and pressure, will doubt
less be felt more heavily, judging
from present conditions. Most OF
the civilized nations Of lthe earth
are at this time at war. All may be
in the vortex before another year
shall have been added to the Chris.
ian era.
A decade and half Of the twon-
ticth century has passed away. The
first decade of is predecessor found
the world but little changed since the
days of the Pilgrim Fathers. In fact
the grandfathers of many now liv-
ing had to go. to as much trouble
to travel and transact business as
people living in. the days of the
Caesars.
The history of the world runs back
We are told six thousand years, but
il has been reserved for the closing
wears of the nineteenth and the open:
:ug wears Of the twentieth century
to witness Il remarkable transition
in mundane conditions. The present
generation, born in the days OF
steam trains. steamboats,, electric
cars airships. automobiles. etc, gaze
upon such nrodes of travel with UNI
concern, while their grandfather$
would have regarded such things as
idle dreams.
All the restless activity Of a Nap
leon or Bismarck have not wrought.
po? moderN life as have the telc-
'aph, telephone, photograph, type
ritter and other wonders Of our
&c.
The comforts Of lie have been I'M
asurably increased by the univrr-
adoption Of things now termcu
mon and Indispensable. Eric
matches. the most common an,
Of the cheapest and most use
devices made their first appear
during the lifetime Of many
living.
the beginning Of this article we
ally referred to the terriblt
gre which is shocking the worl>
we often, while studying exist,
conditions, think Of Napoleon
hecy--"E.Tope will eventually
sSack or republican. The oui
of the present war is i matte,
rlculation, although some i'm
agine they can see the result,
We live in g day of remarkable anl
Sudden political changes. A few
Years ago. Russia. Turkey. Persia
and China were absolute monarchie:;
~ present il may be said that Their
Is but one Autocrat i'll the universe
representative governments have
! laEen the place of those ruled b.
men from whose decision there YRS
10 appeal.
The United States has played
prcponaerant part in the history al
the world. and the republican prinri.
pies upon which our government /!
bnsed, have taken root in all climes
t,ervinus, Il Gernan historian an;
thinker OF his day. laid the RESPONSE
lility for modern statecraft an,
ideals OF government at the feet y
America The outcome Of the presen
war is more likely to bring to Tn
birth similar forms II government
- The days of the Hapsburgs am
J tEohenzoilerus may, like those & o
beshazzar. be numbered, and repiib
lies destined 70 succeed the .presen
nlonarcllical forms Of government j
Europe.