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Show TIIK I.I.OKIOI S FOI ItTH. Once more the American people are In tho midst of the celebration of the great natioual anniversary. There is no other holiday among all the nations that ii more enthusiastically observed. It has been one hundred and fifteen years since the declaration of Independence Independ-ence was announced to the people iu front of the old hall on Chestnut street in Philadelphia since the rracked bell in the lower proclaimed liberty to all the people -but the sp'u t of the day is as fresh and as earnest ricnv aH 11 ever been in all the decades of our history. his-tory. We may well observe tho anniversary; anni-versary; wo may well tMousble to listen to patriotic exercises; we may well put tho cracker in the hands of the young men; we may well decorate our houses with Hags and pint the heavens at night with the lights of the rocket and the bomb; for the d;iy is fraught with greater meaning t mankind than any other of the poli'ic.il calendar, and the destinies of a imghly race dopeiid utron the spirit with which future generations gen-erations shall discharge the duties and uphold the principles which the recurrence recur-rence of the Fourth of July bring up before the mind of the American citizen. citi-zen. And while we celebrate this great anniversary let us ask ourselves whether there is anything demanded of us to insure the perpetuity of the free institutions of the land that we love; whether justice and right, which lie at the base of freedom, continue to bo our guiding stars; whether the culture cul-ture of character remains a purpooo iu our breasts as it was in tho breasts of the fathers who planted the Union among the nations of tho world; whether patriotism animates us as it animated those who threw fortune and life itself into the service of their country in the years that have passed. Conditions change and now problems continually present themselves to the people, but tho progression pro-gression of the American people has never been seriously checked, aud il never will be checked if tho spirit which rule! tho hearts of meu today shall bo transmit ted to the hearts of their children if the character of tho people shall remain strong in their love ef justice ami in their devotion to the starry flat which floats In the winds of heaven a-i the emblem of human liberty- |