The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-23
Why Americans Also JubiIate.

An ideal day at Farview yesterday
combined with inspiring music and
beautiful scenery to put the multitude
of excursionists into fitting humor to
appreciate the oratory that eulogized
Victoria and exploited the greatness
of modern England The commemora"
ton was notable success and those
to whose energy and enterprise it owed
parentage merit i'm consequence the
most cordial congratulations.
In a community in whose population
are numbered so many persons once
subjects of Great Britain's queen, and
who are go closely identified by mem
ory and blood relationship with the
jubilat'ng millions across the sea, it
was only natural that the jubilee at
London should awaken responsive en-
thuslasm. Those Americans who have
not this personas interest in the COM
memoration of amonarchical event will
not be so churlish as to resent the
affair at Farview. They will look upon
it in the same kindly and tolerant spirit
in which the ma jority in England looks
upon the annual celebrations which
Americans in the kingdom observe on
the Fourth of July-as an exhibition of
sentiment creditable to those who make
it and Immediately conducive to inter
national confraternity and good will.
In this connection we are favora-
bly, impressed with the suggestion Of
cred in last nights Truth, namely,
that by way of good natured contrast
with the exercises at Farview yester-
day the Americans of the two counties
unite to effect an even more impressive
demonstration on Independence Day.
1t is no reflection upon the achieve
ments of the English people during
the three-score years of their venerable
soveregns reign to point out that
America, too, has had sixty years of
progress. At the moment of Victoria's 8
ascension the stars in the Yankee flag
numbered but % and they formed the
emblem of less than 15,0OO,000 people.
Today the stars number 45 and the
population exceeds 72,OOO,000.
In 1887 the wealth of the United
States was only $4,000, 100000. The six
ty years of intervening democracy
have increased it to $50, 900, 900 O00. In
this interval our railway mileage has
grown from 1,497 to 1881 surprising
the tota. mileage of all Europe; the
capital of our banks has increased
from $500 722, ,O9i to $1,O51 ,976, ,254, and
their deposits from 1927, 397, ,1S5 TO 81, ,907,
156,277; our postofIices have multiplied
from 11162. with an annual revenue
of only $4,236,779 to 7O164, with a rev.
enue of $76,9S3,12S; the cereal product
of our farms has enlarged from four
teen to ninety million tons and our an
nual manufactured product has risen
from less than $500,000,000 to more than
$4,000, OOO,O 900. In this period we have
given to civilization the telegraph, the
telephone and the Atlantic cable; the
harvester the trolley car and the type
setting machine; and best of all, the
discovery of anaesthesia with its al
most limitless easement of human
pain. In material progress we have
astonished the world, and our achieve.
ments in the domain of thought. fancy
and research have been not less won
derful
The contemplation of these facts
alongside the causes which our Englisl
cousins and their sympathizers offel
for their present demonstration o.
gladness can do them no injury anC
may do us much good. BY all means
let us have a rousing celebration of In
dependence Day.