The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-04
THE NATIONS BIRTHDAY.

NO American ever awoke on the
Fourth of July without feeling a thrill
of patriotism. 1t is hundred and
twenty years since the representatives
of the colonies put forth that Declara-
ton of independence which severed
the bonds that connected them with
England. There were thirteen colonies
then. there are forty-fve states now;
there were three million Americans
then, there are seventy millions now.
Then our country stretched along the
Atlantic coast from Maine to Spanish
Florida. What are now the five great
states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Mich
igan and Wisconsin were then that
part of the country subsequently
known as the Northwest territory
Since then the United States have ex-
panded from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific and from the great lakes to the
Gulf of Mexico. And what a history
they have had! 1t is the history of
the advance of mankind towards great
er liberty and greater prosperity.
In the past the country has been
confronted by many great problems
and has successfully solved them.
That there are as great problems to
be met and solved in the future no
one can doubt. The advance of man
to higher civilization is but the solv
ing of problems. In the past many Of
the questions that this government has
had to solve have been those incidental
to all new countries, and not those
that arise out of the bringing together
Of great masses of humanity. The
one great social problem that this
country has had 10 solve was that of
slavery. 1t was solved, but it was by
an appeal to arms and not to reason.
Our form of government is no guar
antee against the evils that come upon
men, that veX them and test their fit
ness for freedom and self-government.
Humanity is the same throughout the
world and through all ages, and no
matter under what form of govern
ment man may live he will have to
meet in the future, as he has in the
past, the problems that have confront
ed men when associated together as
states or nations. The merit of our
freedom of action by the people. In
their hands is the control of their
destiny They can make it what they
wish. Many see in popular govern
ment nothing but evil tendencies
There are evil tendencies in it. but
the power to correct them can be more
readily and effectively applied than
under any other form. 1t is sometimes
complained that our public servants,
the officers Of the government, are
not of the best and highest class of
citizens. This is true. but is it not a
matter of congratulation that while
our public servants are fairly good,
better than they are generally ac-
knowledged to be, there is a still better
class of citizens, a class whose in
fuence is for good and the betterment
OF the country?
The American people have no cause
to Despair of popular government
They should not settle into an optim-
istic fatalism, but should take con-
tinued and intelligent interest in all
affairs, and all viii be
we'll
Every American on the anniversary
of the nations birthday should read |
that immortal Declaration of Indepen- !
dence. And when he rises from read |
ing it he will have higher, nobler,
truer idsa of patriotism than before; /
and he will be better citizen.