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Show GAIN nro tho Stars aflMsjt and Stripes, tho nn- Sb tlonnl emblem of 3 wA American liberty, Jus-mA Jus-mA tlce nnd Independ-bB Independ-bB once raised on high. B Agnlu tho lavish and jj B vivid display of the J0KMO iflVv national colors v a r awakens recollec-Vc recollec-Vc tlons of our coun try ' a struggles of her enforced bnttlo cry of freedom. Again children "rally round tho flag" to uplift tholr childish voices in Its prnlse nnd honor; to sing songs of triumph nnd rejoicing over the nation's na-tion's victory. Onco again, ns of yoro, loud peal the bells ringing out tho glad nowB that It Is tho anniversary of tho nation's birth; coinmomorntlng tho magnificent achiovetnonts of those enrly noble patriots on thnt first, glorious Fourth day of July, Statosmen and orators are called upon to oxorclso tholr highest high-est powers of oloquonco In order to re-impress. re-impress. upon tho hearts and minds of citizens now enjoying tho rights nnd dufoa conferred upon them by an Independent In-dependent form or government, to uphold up-hold thoBo lofty Ideals, and to defend thoso bnslc principles of unity nnd fraternity, of political Independence and freedom from arbitrary rule nnd doBpotlsm for which brave men will-Ingly will-Ingly laid down their llvos, that tho country which they loved, and for which tboy fought might as a nation live. The .Declaration of Independence was recelvod with ovory demonstration of public rejoicing. Wo nro told that It was read In public from the plntform or an obsorvatory In tho rear of tho stntobouBo. On tbo anino day n brll-llnnt brll-llnnt foto was given in honor or tho nation's birth on board tho rrlgnto Washington in tbo Delawnre. the res-tlvltlos res-tlvltlos terminating with a ball in the evening. Tho declaration was read at tho head of each brigade of the Contl-nontnl Contl-nontnl nrmy statlonod at Now York, and recolvod with joyful huzzas. Again on the tonth dny or July, tho declaration declara-tion was road In the courthouse at White Plains by ordor of tho convention conven-tion thon In Bosslon. Tho king's coat of arms was brought rrom tho hall whore his courts woro hold and burned amid the acclamations or the multitude. multi-tude. Thus we find thnt whatovor rorm thoso public demonstrations or rojolc-lug rojolc-lug over tbo nation's birth might take, they were nlways procoded by a careful care-ful exposition or tho cause for that rejoicing. re-joicing. The colobratlon or Indopond-once Indopond-once day, In thoso early tlmea. was the exultant ovorflow ot omotion duo to the Intelligence, clearly and pointedly convoyed to the popular mind, of tho rosoluto roslstnnco of the country's leaders to tyranny that should make America freo Given a true conception of tho causes, the principles nnd Influences that should be re-examined and contemplated con-templated on every recurring July 4, the American peoplo would Impart a meaning and dignity to their festivities festivi-ties on the holiday or national holidays such as would preclude an indulgence In more Bensoloss, nerve-racking, noisy demonstrations; without thought of the "why?" or "wherefore!" of the occasion. Too many qf our youth, not- KaBLBBl withstanding tho lessons of Amorlcnn history learned at school, are apt to forget the real significance of tho nation's na-tion's birthday when they deem it sufficient to vont what they are pleased to call tholr "patriotism" in deafening horn-blasts and in .the freo nnd careless use of recking explosives and dangerous firearms. Nor is the great maBs or our forolgn population which is ultimately to bo consolidated into tho American nation properly Informed respecting tho an- ! teccdent forces of the country to P which they have como for refuge and for freedom; bo that nt sight of our m waving banner, and nt sound of our I natlonnl airs, a true sense of loyalty may bo kindled in their hearts and fanned into tho sontlmont of burning I but righteous patriotism for tho land I of tholr ndoptlou. For tjio weal or tho American democrncy depends tipon tho integrity, tho fidelity, ayo tho un- swerving allegiance or every nntionnl K unit. I; Just ns it was unity thnt gave birth K to the nation, .bo it 1b unity thnt must m prcservo tho nation. "In union there la Btrength," la ns true to-day as It was n century or two ago. "Together!" Is K the call or the age and It Is the call M especially to bo. heeded by us or this M glorious American republic. K Hence, while wo move in step to B martial music, with the Stars and B Stripes flung to tho breeze, whllo wo B dine or picnic In honor to the "nn- B tlon's day;" indeed, whatovor mny be B the rorm or our rejoicing over our B country's llborty, we must havo a enro B leBt wo rorget the real reason or our B merrymaking and seir-gratulatlon. In- B dependence day is ours with nil tho Bi glory of the pnst and nil tho Bplendor B of the present; freely wo have taken, B and continue to tnke all tho advant- B' ages, tho rights, privileges, progress B nnd advancement that woro ushered B, inlo being with the nation's birth. ' Freely, then, let us glvo. Not a Bf rhetorical prating of patriotic dovo- B tlon to country, thnt is no more Br thnn a self-interested nlliance of B party, not munificent contributions B for public demonstrations with- B out personal nnd t . H private dedication A H to tho national ' V T J H cause, not those Mm $ H mlstermed oxpros- ilyi B slons or patriot- n J4 Bel Ism, but the en- m l&fl4 H franchlsed indl- vJhlnnA fll vldual's efforts to my i'XA B preserve tho vigor jRA,v!i0 l S' and purity of the IpftWrA A H Institutions of his fialVMA H city, state or coun- !V$ W B try, the result of Jyy$? k W B true pntrlotlsm flft'iMr & A H which Is "the ffWJ'k .H noblest passion fJJyi B that nnlmatos a Jj m0yMw bBk man in the char- ln fvyA , B acter of a good JmpvB 1 9S citizen." U if X- BR |
