The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-07-12
Inc Miners of Barker and Their
NeighbOrs Honor the
Fourth.
JUDGE FULLER ORATOR or the DAY.
Mike Foley Presides with Ability and
Judge Larkin Reads the
Declaration.
The Day Enlivened by Horse Racing
and Athletic Sports-Every
n Happy.

Especial correspondence of the TRrBuNE.l
BARKER. July 6.-Tlie glorious Fourth
was ushereu in by the booming of can
non, engineered by Constable Swanson,
at an early hour in the morning. 1t did
not take long to arouse our citizens, as
they were all on the alert to celebrate the
national holiday. After breakfast the
people Logan to assemble around the
grounds and grand stand, welcoming
the visitors from the outlying camps and
from Kibbey, Monarch, Cora creek amid
the firing OF bombs, fire crackers, ETC., by
the younger portion of the community.
The weather was everything that could
be desired.
The grounds and grand stand were
beautifully and artistically decr rated
with evergreens aad bunting. Appropri-
ate notices were displayed on the grand
stand. There was a large assemblage.
Everything passed of pleasantly and
creditably to the people of the surround
ing country. The committee having
prepared carefully for the celebration,
there was no hitch in the proceedings.
After p%artaking Of the barbecue pre-
pared by the ladies of Barker and ably
superintendent by Mesdames Lilly and
Hockett, to whom are due the thanks
and praise of all present.
Mr.. Mike Foley was appointed chair
m n. He performed well and ably the
important duties devolving upon him
and "as ably supported on the grand
stand by Messrs. 3. j. Merritt, Ii. c. Fos-
ter, John Ferns and Mike Wilson. The
chairman having succeeded in calling the
vast assemblage to order explained in an
appropriate speech the purpose of the Gel
ebration. He called upon a gentleman,
Judge Earkin, who is as we'll known in
your city as Barker, to read the Declare
ton of Independence, The elocutlon
was so realistic that he held the audience
s%pellbound through its entire length.
The chairman then called upon Judge
Fuller upon whom fell the most impor.
tant task as "the orator of the day." We
must do the Judge the credit of saying
that his Grafton was a masterpiece, al
though he was not notified of the choice
until the morning Of the Fourth. APP
pended are a few extracts from his
honor's impromptu Grafton:
Something over 100 years ago the PEG.
pie of these ID colonies, weary and dis
gusted with the insults, exactions and
expressions of the British government,
determined to throw OFT the yoke, make
u break for liberty and start ont for them
selves on the sea of empire. One hun
bred and fourteen years ago this day a
little body of men in Philadelphia, ac-
cording to the express demands ct the
people, proclaimed the birth of a new
government. But it Is one thing to es-
tablish IL government and another to
maintain it. They well knew that u fear
fui struggle was impending. They knew
that the British government would not
part with their favorite colonies without
making a desperate effort to hold them
to their allegiance. Relying upon the
Justice of their cause and the patriotism
of the people, they did not hesitate for u
moment. A fearful struggle ensued.
England sent fleet after feet and army
after army to reduce them 10 subsection,
but after eight years of wearisome, bloody
and sometimes doubtful struggle, they
came from the conflict a free and indie,
pendens people. Acknowledged as such
by all the nations of the earth.
There were able statesmen at the head
of affairs at that time-men who could
divine the future as well as any statesmen
jn Europe, They predicted for the coun-
try a great and glorious future, but had
an angel from Heaven informed them of
the events which would happen in the
next one hundred years, they would have
secuted it and died In their unhelief,
We of this day know what has happened.
The infant born that day has become q
giant. 1t extends from Canada to the
Gulf of Mexico and from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, and holds within its embrace
the poor and oppressed Of every nation.
The thirteen stars are increased to forty
two and form a constellation of which we
may we'll be proud and that dazzles the
world with Its brillianey, 1t IS for us
and the coming generations to see that its
brightness 10 not dimmed and that it IL
not lessened by the loss Of q single staF.
lApplause)
DOES PATRIOTISM STILL LIVE3
But the question arises and should be
well considered, is the spirit Of patriot
ism as strong as 1t was in those daysF-
Do we fully appreciate the blessings con.
ferred upon us by that days work and
by the eight years Of bloody war that fol
lowed? Are we going to carelessly drift
into anarchy or Imperialism and share
the fate of all republics that have gone
before.
Rome was for centuries a model repub
lie and was the proud mistress of the
world, but through the ambition of Its
leaders and the corruption of the people
it finally sunk into utter degradation and
was itself the abject slave of other nations
Carthage held its own as one of the hes!
and plFest republics for nearly 1905
years, but from the same causes was
blot ed from the list of nations and today
the name of Carthage Is moi found upon
the map as \ country. Can we anticipate
such q destiny for this glorious country
Let us hope that such will never be its
fate. but we may all rest assured it will
require the utmost vigilance and sincere
patriotism to prevent 1t, We can but dc
out part in keeping up the spirit of free
dom and of patriotism and leave 1t fol
the coming generations to continue the
uOGd work or to throw away as they may
the liberties bequeathed TO them.
The day will be celebrated oil over the
country in many ways. Orations will ha
delivered in thousands of places of great
er length aud depth than you will hear
TODAY. Eut we can only do according to
our ability. We are here en%deayoring ia
deyeloD this portion of our common