The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1896-11-18
Continued from LIST Page

ItllCDl man DlCol, 90 WV't 20 u" 49,
cient vase portraying a race, which
he afterwards, with rare good sense,
presented to the museum. The APP
pearance Of Loues was again the
signal for the crowd to turn frantic
with joy. Greek flags appeared
everywhere, from the big one at the
masthead to the little ones carried
up into the air by numerous doves.
Flags and flowers literally filed the
air.
AS the participants and patrons Of
the games reflect over the events OF
the ten days their unanimous feel
ing is we'll expressed in the phrase
ology employed by one Of their num-
Der. 81 am an optimist," said he,
"and always expected success;
but / never expected such success"
Greece has not only won the Mara
thon run, but it has gained stand
ing among the nations of the world,
whose delegates will never forget
their reception here. 1t is small
and poor kingdom. but like ancient
Hellas, great in qualities of soul.
During and since the games events
have in one way taken an unexpect-
ed turn. So elated were the Greeks
with the happy way in which every
thing was going that they early be-
gan to think of having the next
meet also at Athens. The thought
perhaps did not originate with
them. 1t was reported at first as a
suggestion of England, coming as
an expression of the Prince of Wales.
Nobody seems to have thought OF
the incongruity of England, which
was hardly represented in the pres
ent contest, being the proposer; but
the proposal was eagerly caught up.
King George was only voicing the
sentiment OF which the air was full,
when, at the breakfast given to the
athletes at the palace, he expressed
the hope that, Gin view of the sue
cess of the games the strangers who
have honored Greece with their
presence, and who have been so cor
daily received, will fix upon our
country as European meeting
place of the nations, as the continu-
Gus and aiding field of the Olympic
Games" This utterance was sec
onded a few days later by the fol-
lowing memorial, drawn up and
signed by all the American athletes:
To His Royal Highness, Constantine,
Crown Prince of Greece.
We, the American participants in
the International Olympic Games
of Athens, wish to express to you,
and through you to the Committee
and to the people of Greece, our
heartfelt appreciation of the kind
ness and warm hospitality OF which
we have been continually the re.
cipients during our stay here.
We also desire to acknowledge our
entire satisfaction with all the ar
rangemeuts for the conduct of the
games.
The existence Of the Stadion as a
structure 30 uniquely adapted to it's
purpose; the proved ability OF Greece
to competently administer the
games; and above all, the fact that
Greece is the original home of the
Olympic Games; all these consider
atoms force upon us the conviction
that these games should never be
removed from their native soil.
This memorial, signed also by
many resident Americans, had all
the mere significance from the fact
that America had already been de-
signated by the International Athle-
tic Committee as the place for the
games in 1904.
But this movement was especially
unwelcome TO the French, who had
counted upon having the games as
an ornament to their great exhibi-
ton at Paris in 1900 Baron Couber-
tin, the member of the International
Committee for France, and perhaps
more than any other one man the
originator of the whole project OF
the revival of the Olympic Games,
was too good diplomatist to give
up this great advantage without an