Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-02
THE FOURTH OF JULY
HOW 1T MAY BE CELEBRATED MORE
PATRlOTlcALLy.
Opinions of Robert B. Roosevelt, Colonel
Emmons Clark, Mrs. II. Is. Thurber and
Others. Contributed For Democrats Mag.
axine-Is Patriotism Declining?

Others, contributed FOT Demorests Mag"
azine--Is Patriotism Declining?
IArranged by Gilson willets in Demorest's
Magazine.
"Is Fourth Of July celebrated PATRIOTIC
allyf" Decidedly and enormously. The
Sons OF the American Revolution are or
ganized largely To stop any downward tend
ency In this respect They have done
much, but when they began they found
the feeling benumbcd, II not dead. And
what arc the causes and where Is the evil
denceY Many people believe suffrage To bo
failure. They ask very portinently,
"Where Is the proof that 1t Is successY"
Our free republic has In its hundred years
OF life come very close TO u tragic end
and seen the flcrcest, bloodIest rebellion
the world has ever known. Few people be-
lieve that cities can be governed success
fully by unlimited suffrage, and no one
can find any way to limit suffrage, but
cities are becoming yearly more numerous
and populous. II they cannot be governed,
free institutions cannot be maintained.
Now personally yet have faith In the
republic have twice seen the noble city
of New York vindicate her honesty and
majesty. Nor do / fear that the foreign
element will long remain foreign or fail to
furnish good and patriotic citizens, but
am forced to recognize the decadence OF
patriotism and pride In being frecborn
American citizen, and the near peril to
Apeglcan institutions from anarchy, So
cialisM and populisM on the one hand, yet
there is a longing for something flrmer and
more exclusive on the other.-Robert b.
Roosevelt, Vice President of the Sons of
tho American Revolution.
do not think the glorious Fourth Is
celebrated as patriotically as it might be.
Yet, on the contrary, l believe that the
spirit OF patriotism among the American
people is higher now than 1t ever was be-
fore There are no armed enemies now
threatening our national existence, and we
are reasonably free from domestic disturb
ance, so that the patriot of today is not
called upon to shoulder his gun and i'm
peril his life, as were the minute men OF
the Revolution or the soldiers of our civil
war, but there are influences at work to-
day perhaps quite as dangerous as the
British redcoats in 1875 or the army of Lee
In 1861. The socialist, the communist, the
anarchist apostles of chaos, are at large.
1t is not simply our constitution, but the
foundation Of government itself is In dan
ger 1t Is not alone our national inde-
pendence, but our very civilization Is
threatened.
There is certainly as much need for pa
triotism now as there ever was, and be-
heve it is being displayed. We see the evi-
dence Of 1t on every hand. Patriotic soci-
eties OF every kind are being organized
everywhere, and men and women of stern
resolve and earnest purpose are giving
them their cordial support and co-opera-
tion. Civil virtue is found, whenever the
occasion calls 1t forth, in every class in the
community A corrupt ring is overthrown
one year in Brooklyn and the next In New
York q dangerous political organization
Is compelled to bite the dust. Whenever
the issue is fairly laid before the people to
decide between what Is good and what is
bad, the response is never left In doubt.
Our national and state Legislative bodies
are not as perfect as they should be, and
our Legislators are sometimes controlled by
unworthy motives; but, on the whole,
believe them to be animated by an earnest
and patriotic purpose to serve their coun-
try well. Our statesmen and our thinkers
compare favorably with those of genera
/tion or two ago, and the masses of the
people certainly stand upon much higher
plane than they ever did before.
You ask, "Do think we exert enough
enthusiasm in celebrating Fourth Of July
publicly" I answer "No," and I will
join heartily In every effort to make more
Of our national Independence day. But fire.
crackers and Fourth of July oratory do
not furnish the true test of patriotism.
Our grandfathers perhaps made more of
Fourth of July than we do, but it was be-
cause it was about the only picnic day they
ha6 N NJ fho
so much patriotic celebration as a mid
summer jollification they were after. Our
celebrations of the day may bo quieter
than theirs, but l think they are none the
less earnest, or II It Is insisted that they
were more patriotic one day in the year I
answer, then, that we are more patriotic
the other 364.-Walter S. Logan, Lawyer
and Prominent Member of the Sons Of
the American Revolution.
No, Fourth of July is not celebrated
patriotically according to generally accept
ed ideas, but the manifestations and dem
onstrations Of American patriotism are on
different lines and less boisterous and py-
rotechnic In their character than formerly
The observance Of Fourth of July as
holiday is proper and sufficient recogni-
tion of the national anniversary and the
present manner of commemorating that
day is modest, sensible and truly patriotic
and indicates the increased refinement and
the higher civilization of the American
people. Colonel Emmons Clark of the
Seventh Regiment Of New York.
American patriotism possibly has been
declining-I am not certain. However,
believe there is now a positive revival Of n
patriotic spirit among us, for see it in
many phases Of our national life, especial
ly in music. believe that with the great
reviving wave Of patriotism in this coun-
try music is Mt last to have It's place. On
Fourth of July American melodies are
played all over this land and i'm every
country In which our day of independence
is celebrated. We have already an Amcri.