The record-union., 1896-06-05
THE CELEBRATION ASSURED.
Substantial Assistance to be Given by the
County.
Action Taken by the Supervisors
Yesterday in Regard to
the Matter.

r. D. Stephens, w. D. Iawton, Geo.
c. McMullen and William Mclaughlin,
representing the Fourth of July Com
mittee. appeared before the Board of
Supervisors yesterday to ask an ap-
preparation to aid in proper celebra-
ton of the coming national holiday.
Mr. Stephens first addressed the
board on the subject, setting forth the
necessity for preserving the tlme-hon-
ored custom of celebrating the anniver-
sary of the day that witnessed the
Nations birth. He spoke of the in
Justice of calling on a few hundred
citizens, out of the forty odd thousand
people in the county, to annually con-
tribute the bulk of the money required
to meet the expenses of proper cele-
bration of the day, and urged the Su-
pervisors to make a liberal appropria-
ton from the public funds to supple
ment the individual subscriptions that
would be given.
He was followed by Mr.. Lawton, who
spoke in similar manner. 1t would be
reproach upon the Capital of the State,
said Mr.. Lawton, if it failed to properly
celebrate the national holiday. Owing
to the disturbed condition of affairs
abroad and possible complications, be-
tween this and other countries, Amer
lea should now, more than ever, foster
patriotic sentiments in the rising gem
Grafton. The Capital City of the State
should be a central point for celebrat-
ing the Nations birthday anniversary,
and a few citizens should not have TO
bear the burden of the expense thereof.
The City Trustees, said Mr.. Lawton,
have agreed to give $500 toward the
celebration, which would cost between
two and three thousand dollars, and
the committee confidently expected the
Board of Supervisors to be as liberal as
circumstances would permit. People
all over the county will want to come to
the city on that day to witness the cele-
bration, and a few cents per capita Oh
each adult would never be felt.
Mr.. McMualen indorsed what his
brother committeeman had said, and
added that when he was a member OF
the Board of Supervisors that body had
made an appropriation for a similar
purpose.
Chairman Morrison said he would
yield to no one in the matter of patri-
otic sentiment, and he knew his col
leagues on the board were imbued with
bration of the national holiday. But
they had been subjected to very bitter
experiences of late as result Of their
endeavors to assist in matters per-
tanning to the public good and the well
fare of the county, and in the absence
of any express authority under which
they might make such an appropria-
ton, he did not know as they would
feel like risking further persecution.
He cited a recent instance in which
a member of a Grand Jury prepared
an indictment against the Supervisors
for appropriating few hundred dollars
for a Fourth of July celebration, and
they doubtless would have been in
dicted had it not been that they also
allowed something toward the expense
of Populist celebration at Folsom on
the same day.
While satisfied that the people gen.
orally do not indorse such persecution
of their Supervisors, still it costs the
latter good hard money to pay law
yers to defend them in the courts, and
the thing was becoming burdensome.
Mr.. Lawton did not think the Super
visors need fear that they would ever
be punished for donating a small sum
to aid in SO patriotic matter as hon
oring the Nations birthday-the day
most dear TO the heart of every good
and loyal citizen of the country. He
desired to know if the board could not
appropriate a portion of the immigra-
tion fund for the purpose.
Chairman Morrison said he believed
it would be perfectly legitimate to do
so, except for the fact that there will
be no money available in that fund un-
til after the present fiscal year, and
they cannot draw on it in advance.
Beside, said Mr. Morrison, the i'm
migration fund is the only source
from which we can get the necessary
money with which to defray the ex-
pense of making an exhibit each year
at the State Fair Of the county's re-
sources. This is something that must
be done, and there are other demands
on that fund, and he did not see the
way clear to use any portion of it for
Fourth of July purposes.
Supervisor Dreman, despite the
Chairman's remarks, moved that 500
be appropriated from the immigration
fund for the purpose asked.
Supervisor Todd said it would be i'm
possible to use any of that fund.
Everyone wanted to honor the national