Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-02
ATHEN
4TH.MoE
NJuLYN

The fathers of this republic built wiser
than they knew when they constructed the
Declaration Of Independence. They rep
resented IL small colonies, having scarcely
100000 people merely banded together
for mutual defense against a common foe,
one Of the most powerful nations Of the
earth. The colonies had no navy, no treas.
ury, and out a small, ill-paid and inexper.
fenced army. They had not been accorded
belligerent rights by any country, and the
men who signed the Declaration were guilty
Of treason, according to English law. and
might have been hung for their offense.
These devoted patriots fully reasized this
fact, yet not one voice trembled when the
Declaration came up for adoption on that
memorable Fourth # July, 1916, not one
hesitated when the immortal document was
placed before them for their signature.
1t was a declaration to the world that a
new star was to be added to the galaxy Of
nations. Its breathings went out all over
the land, inspiring the people with new hope
and courage, plainly showing that the day
Of compromise had forever passed. They.
the signers of the Declaration. knew they
were opening the way for a new nation,
born in liber.y, but they could not possibly
have foreseen the growth in era, population,
wealth power and influence Of the new re-
public-the problem of the government. Of
the people, for the people and by the peo-
ple," had been practically unsolved. They
had to build along new lines and to explore
ne fields. But If they could not previse
the coming glories of the republic their wis
dom judgment and disinterested patriotism
combined to set the foundations so well
hat they have admirably met ali the condi-
tons and bid fair to be as enduring as the
everlasting hills.
What man could have dreamed 100 years
ago that the little struggling colonies, whole
nationality was just pledged in the Declare
tion of Independence, would develope into
a matchless republic of 7o,ooo,oc of Eco
pie, leading all other countries in wealth, in
re ources and in general prosperity Or
could he have possibly foreseen this republic
throwing the aegis of its protection about
the smaller republics of this hemisphere and
boldly saying to the powers of Europe that
this government will not permit any futher
encroachments upon the DOMAIN of the two
Americas?
That which is of the republic and what it
may be are due to the wisdom and courage
of the fathers in absolving themselves from
any allegiance to the British crown and in
FORMULATING to the world the Declaration
OF Independence. This 10 why Americans
regard the Fourth of July with such fervid
veneration. The day and the deed are as
precious to them as was the palladium of the
ancient Trojan, the shekinah to the Jew, or
the holly FIRE to the vestal virgins of old
Rome. They realize that with the passage
of time there would seem to be no limita-
tons to the growth and development of the
country, and, proud of what has been
achieved already, they gratefully and rev.
erntly recall the heroism n rare intelli-
gence Of the fathers of the republic, who
builded so wisely and so well. As the docu-
ment is immortal, 50 are the names appended
to It destined to live in cherished r~ecollec-
tons 50 long as the United States has . place
in history and her people love liberty and
the just execution Of equabie laws.
WILLIAM RossER CoBBE.