The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05

us do we light the signal fires of warning
Then long-dormant patriotism awakes and
rouses the people to action.
The danger that threatens Government of,
by and for the people, such as ours, comes as
often from within as from without, and the
degree of patriotism that impels US to do battle
with the ballot should be, and, TO insure sue
| cess, must be, equally strong with that degree
OF bravery with which we march to battle with
the bullet.
In the closing days of the nineteenth century
q danger from within threatens the homes, the =.
| happiness, the very liberties of the American
people. The question of political supremacy is
TO be decided. We are TO determine whether
| a moneyed power, concentrated in the hands
OF a few, or the people themselves shall rule
1t will be battle with ballots. The people
are rallying to the defense OF their inheritance
| ofliberty; great wave OF patriotism is rolling
over the land. Look at home. For years Oak
land has had no Fourth of July celebration.
While we prospered there apathy. Patriot
ism is the child of hardship and oppression.
We are rising to the occasion. To-day there is
| a foodtide of patriotism in our city and
throughout Alameda County
Let us hope that this sentiment of unity, OF
fraternity, OF patriotism is swelling the breast
of every citizen.
The people must stand together if they
would maintain that freedom and irdepend-
ence bequeathed to them by the founders OF
this great Nation. He who does not guard his
treasure will lose it. The sentinel who sleeps
at his post imperils the safety OF the whole
tinel on duty. How many have been asleep2
To-day we are all awake. The flame OF patriot
ism is reaching upward. Let us remain awake.
Let us as one man stand by our rights, and as
one man Tepel all aggressions upon them. Let
us not forget that he who would be free, him.
self must strike the blow.
FellOw-citiZenS, we are assembled to COM
memorate the natal day of oar Nation, to cele-
brate the birthday of our Republic, bounded
by the Atlantic and Pacific, by the st. Lawrence
nd hn nf mil ~
human beings cherish the stars and stripes us
their National banner.
To-day the Great Republic of the American
Continent is 119 years old. 1t is a Govern
ment of the people, by the people and for the
people, or at least such was the intention of
the brave men and noble women who won the
right to govern themselves.
AS nation we the peer of any nation,
and if we are true to ourselves the day is not
far away when the United States of America
Will be the greatest and the grandest nation on
the face of Gods green earth.
rhe remainder of the programme was as
follows:
American Hymn, male quartet; reading of
the Declaration of Independence, David S.
HIrsbberg; ''Battle Hymn of the Republic
male quartet; Glove and War; duet, w. J. !
Cakes and c. L. Trow address, Hon. George c. |
Perkins; music, Fifth Infantry Regiment band. |
The feature of this entertainment, as
WELL indeed as of all the exercises in Oak
land in honor of the day, was the splendid
effort of Miss Ina d. Coolbrith in her poem |
on Freedom" The poem is given in full
as follows and it will be found to be glow |
ing with the fire of genius:
freedom.
"Of old sat Freedom on the heghtsp'
$50 sang singer of our day.
golden age of pure delights!
o planet happy in her sway!
When throned above smiling world
She ruled through years of blest increase,
The banners of the battles furled,
The warnoteS hushed in songs of peace;
When hatred was forgot, and strife
A phantom lost in time and death,
So far. that on the lips OF life
Tradition named IL under BREATH
Then swung our earth in sormless air.
With all her discords blent in tune,
As fair and fragrant as some fair
Rose garden in day OF June:
And burning with such luster white,
Her sister planets hailed in space
"Behold! of all Gods spheres of light
The Earth-star has the fairest face"
o dream of time since time began!
Hope, born the Eden-gateS within,
When nrst around the heart Of man
The Serpent coed the chains of sin;
The light the lure, from age TO age,
From race to race, that lived and died,
And knew thee not, his heritage
That man 10 man and self denied.
For thee the trodden peoples moaned
From cradle unto cofin-lid,
Or ever captive Israel groaned
Thy name beside the Pyramid:
Or Babylon was born, or Greece,
Or Rome, to show how great the power
OF man in arts of war and peace
How small in Gods eternal hour.
For thee the Mayfower crossed the sea,
Her sails wings of thy desired
And on the virgin shores to thee
She builded high the altar fire.
She wove thy banner of the stars;
Thy spirit mailed her arm with might
To break the Old Worlds prison bars,
And write the New Worlds name in light.
But in the Maylowers heart. unsuessed
Lurked still one foe not overthrown;
1t bound upon her brothers wrist
The shackles stricken from her own.
Then didst thou rise in grievous ire,
Freedom stern in majesty!
AS sweeps the prairie's storm of fire
Thy legionS swept from sea to sea.
And cleansed thy shame to spotless white,
And made the land thy very own:
And once again was known her light,
Gods Ranbow-and, from zone to zone.
Are we still thine o Freedom? Join
Thy voice to mine, and utter clear
The truth, lest, cowardly, coin
The lie TO lull the rising fear.
Speak thou the blame we shame to own;
What tawdry despotrules the hour!
How, serve at a tinsel throne,
We bow to pelf we bow TO power!
We drain the ore from natures veins,
And fostering letters forge, to bind
Our crnging souls III Mammons chains
Slaves, slaves, in limb, in will, in mind.
We sleep, while Gains uplifted hand
With crimson drops be5ouls the sod
Crime writes across the shudderiug land
Its awful blasphemy &c Coo.
And wrecks of men drift to and fro.
And Dives feasts III ieweed state
And dreams to melody-while TO-
In thousands, Lazarus at the gatel
The sons of patriot sres, we dare
The bride to give to take the bride!
And sit beneath the Old Worlds sheer,
The king-ruIed nations Jest and gibe.
Like theirs shall leisured lords of lands
Mock the tired tiller of the soil
With scanty harvest? ToiliDg bands
Gain as their guerdon only toll?
for the loyal faith of old!
The simple dignity and truth
The law that was not bought and sold!
The clean soul of the Nations youth!
Heed lest our banner mock the arch
1t mimics heavens starry dome,
The music of our pageant march
Be Nero's play to burning Rome.
There is slavery like sin;
Where wong is, Freedom cannot be.