The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-07-09
JFE FOURTH AT MANITOWOC.

committee on Decoration was completed.
Eighth beautiful arches with festoons of
evergreen spanned as many crossings.
The poles from which the evergreens
were suspended were swathed in bunting
and band of like material encircled the
columns forming a beautiful archltrave.
Business houses were likewise tastefully
decorated and the whole city presented
an appearance which could not fail to
please.
The anniversary Of the nations birth
was ushered in by the booming of can
non soon followed by strains of music.
The F. & PM. No. was the first boat to
arrive with $50 visitors from Ludington.
About 80 had come the preceding evening
on the regular boat. The Goodrich boat
arrived soon after bringing 200 persons
from Menominee and other northern
cities. The train from the west had quite
large number of excursionists for this
place. By nine o'clock, the time set for
the formation of the parade the sidewalks
were moving mass.
The parade was most imposing one
and eclipsed anything of the kind ever
seen in the city. Unfortunately the
Float representing Columbia was too high
for the arches and some of them had to
be cut. The length of the procession
| was such that the head of the column
was just turning from Park to Eighth
when the rear was turning the corner of
York and Sixth. The order of process
sion and route taken were published last
week but it was not believed then that the
parade would reach the dimensions it did.
| Five bands headed five divisions and all
proceeded with the regularity of ma
chine.
When Washington Park was reached
the President of the Association called
the meeting to order and the mayor de-
livered an address of welcome A. J.
Schmitz then read the Declaration of In
dependence and Judge Baensch deliver
cd the address. It was different from
the traditional Fourth of July Grafton in
that it had naneeof the spread eagle or
hamboyant features of these addresses.
1t was a thoughtful production, patriot
ic address and credit to the speaker and
to the city. The following is the address
in full.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am here not of my own volition, but
pursuant to an arbitrary order of the
committee in charge of this triumphal
march, the masters of ceremonies; and
upon them rest the responsibility. They
directed me to let the eagle SOAR but tied
string to it in that the performance was
to be limited to five minutes. Despairing
of being able to do justice to the noble
bird with such limited facilities, l deter
mined to disobey orders and occupy the
time allotted with few rambling re-
marks.
1t may be profitable to reflect for a
moment upon the significance of the day,
upon the meaning of this great commo-
ton, this reveling in enthusiasm, these
sounds of DINING clang and cymbals
loud tits verifca lion of the prophecy
of old that there was a time to come
when confusion, worse COMPOUNDED,
should mongst mortals make its home"
Or is there method in this madness?
As all action is the outward manifesto
ton of passion, pleasure or other emotion,
so with the pomp and circumstance of
public celebratiaOs,- they are the mani
festation, by the people in general, of
some sentiment, some idea. And thus
the observance of the Fourth of July is
the popular expression of sentiment,
one that is implanted in every breast
the sentiment of loyalty. We meet it in its
various phases in all conditions of life.
In childhood and youth it takes the
form of filial affection, of gratitude to and
pride in our parents. With maturer
years comes devotion to the fireSide and
the family, which urges one to labor for
the protection and Happiness of the home.
To those not of kin it appears in the garb
of friendship, that draws and binds to-
gether congenial souls, and is an inspira-
ton to individual progress and improve
ment.
In relation to the community in which
we live, we call this sentiment public
spirit" In this character it builds up
cities gives them beauty, prosperity, in
telligsnce. This species of loyalty is not
fully developed in all persons. Its effec-
tiveness is retarded by two conditions
Indifference and selfishness.
The opinion held by some persons in
a community that, single handed, they
are powerless and therefore do not en-
deavor to attain desired results, leads to
general indifference that renders the
entire mass unwieldy, well nigh immov
able. 1t is, like twenty men passing a
wagon deep in the mire, each one feeling
himself unable to extricate it alone, and
therefore continuing on his way, wonder
ing why the other nineteen don't get to-
gether and put their shoulders to the
wheels.
Selfshness sits on its bag of gold, in
nocently believing that by so doing, it
can, henlike increase its wealth. Selfish
ness is short sighted. 1t lives only FOR the
present, grasps only for direct and i'm
mediate benefit. Thoroughly imbued
with iealously, seeing in the benefit to
others only harm to itself, it is blind to
the maxim of leach for all and all for
each.'
Fortunately for our city, indifference
is being aroused from its Iethargy. Sell
tishness Is beginning to put on the spec
tacleS of common sense The tireleSs