The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-22
C0LUNBIA,s DAY.

Yesterday witnessed the elimination
of the series of Columbian celebrations
which have made the last week memoir
able throughout the country. Begin
ming in New York on the 18th and fol-
lowing days they have moved across the
continent until they reached high water
mark in the great demonstration in Chi
cago and many other cities. Never was
great historical event more grandly
or more fittinely celebrated. The
American people, as by a common i'm
pulse, have recognized the significance
and grandeur of the occasion and have
risen to its full height in spirit of the
Hottest patriotism.
Perhaps the most striking and sug-
gestive feature of the celebrations has
been the intense spirit of Americanism
that has characterized them. They have,
indeed. been broad. cosmopolitan, lib
eral, wide in their scope and sug-
gestiveness, but above all else they
have been American. Though oc-
curing in the midst of a presi-
Dental campaign there has been no
suggestion of partisan feeling, and by
common consent all other ideas and in
terests have for the time being given
place to the congenial duty of ccle-
brating the genius of Columbia. The
manifold nationalities that go to make
up American citizenship have met on
common ground and joined in celebrat-
ing their common blessings by paying
honor to him who first discovered the
land where liberty now reigns and where
the human race is working out its des-
tiny on the broadcast scale.
1t was natural that the spiritof patriot
ism which is the chief feature of the
event should find it's highest expression
in Chicago, in the formal dedication of a
worlds fair which promises to outstrip
all that have gone before. The celebra-
tion in that city seems, as far as one
may judge from the published accounts,
to have been entirely worthy of the
occasion. Certainly no American city
ever entertained a more distinguished
assemblage of representative Americans
than have been gathered in Chicago
during the last few days, and the official
programme seems to have been carried
out with entire success and brilliant
effect. The dedicatory Grafton of Hon.
Henry Watterson was model of patri-
otto oratory, fitted to special occasion.
Mr.. Watterson calls himself an editor
rather than an orator, yet there are few
orators who equal him in the mastery of
thoughts that breathe and words that
burn. His address was fall of fine
thought and patriotic sentiments, ex-
pressed in clear, vigorous and pictur-
esque style. 1t is we'll worth reading.
The local celebration was. all in all,
the finest that has ever occurred in the
city. The spirit of the people was sup
plemented by the weather conditions.
and typical autumn day united with
popular sentiment to make the occasion
notable. The city was more profusely
and deliberately decorated than ever be-
fore on any occasion. The street
parades, both day and evening. were
impressive on account of the numbers
in line and the variety of symbols. while
thousands of American flags flashed
their colors in the light and illuminated
the line of march. The whole affair re-
fiected great credit on the patriotism
and public spirit of our people and the
intelligence and zeal of those who man.
aged it.
There is no installing the meaning of
this general and joyous celebration
which has swept like a tidal wave
across the continent. 1t means that the
American people begin to feel that they
have history. a past behind them as
we'll az future before them. 1t means
they are proud and happy to look back
over the way the Nation has come. and
that they glory in what it has done and
is doing for humanity. 1t means that
they regard the discovery of America.
and the establishment of free govern
ment on it's shores as the greatest event
of the ages, and that they are proud to
be living factors in working out the des-
tiny of the Republic.
WHAT MaKrs pP0TcnTTON Nrnpgaapy