The record-union., 1897-02-21
HOLIDAYS OF THE NATION.
Should be COmmSmOrated by Patriotic
Exercises.
An Interesting Address Friday
Evening to the Pupils of
the Night School.

AT the Night School exercises on FIJI
day evening the principal address was
delivered by Winfield ]. Davis, Presi-
dent of the City Board of Education.
Mr.. Davis said:
The teachers of your school have ex-
tended me an invitation to deliver an
address this evening. While appreciat-
ing the compliment I have distrust in
my ability for satisfactory acquittal.
The City Board of Education, feeling
that love of our country and PATRIOTISM
should be deeply impressed on the minds
OF the pupils being educated under its
direction, determined that the holidays
of our nation should be commemorated
by appropriate exercises in each of the
public schools. In accordance with that
direction such observance isS held to-
day of the anniversary Of the birthday
of Washington. In some States the ami
versary of the birthday of Lincoln is
celebrated in this month, and while such
Is not the requirement in California, fit
ting tribute to the memory Of one who
rendered eminent service to our republic
should include its recognition The
names of these men Will ever be insep-
arably associated with the history OF the
their work for the nation and for hu-
manity and civilization is too deeply en-
craven on the heart of every true Amer
lean to need recapitulation at my hands.
There is eminent propriety for peo-
pie enjoying the blessings of the broad
liberty that we do to honor the memory
of the men who laid the foundation
stones of the greatest enduring republic;
l.,+
preserved its integrity and enlarged its
boundaries and its influence. That we
express gratitude for the enjoyment of
the fruits that have resulted from the
ripe wisdom and heroic sacrifices of our
forefathers demonstrates that republics
are not ungrateful.
1t is easily understood how Govern
ment had its inception, and how pri-
marily the tendency was toward
monarchical form. In a family naturally
the father became the ruler. When
families from multiplication became
tribes an individual was chosen chief,
and his authority descended to his
eldest SON When tribes grew into ma
tions the same principle was continued,
and lines of Kings and EmperOrs We're
established. AS time advanced their au-
thority became more absolute and des-
potic; they were as well the makers as
the administrators of the laws. Power
begat ambition, and justice was swept
aside. The more powerful nations op-
pressed the weaker, and the vanquished
Were made dependent and ocntributary
TO the dominant, without representation
in Government. To maintain authority
the ruling power conceded eXtraordin-
ary privileges to the influential few, and
the masses became subServient to the
favored.
Then came into active being that
spirit that is Unborn in every man; de-
sire for reasonable enjoyment of life and
property, and a. voice in the 1sffairS of
Government. That spirit we call lib
erty. 1t is dearer than life. In the CEN
turies that have elapsed since this spirit
was first aroused myriads of men have
willingly, yea. cheerfully, sacrificed their
lives in its sUstainment. While we
shudder at reading of the sanguinary
strifes that mar the pages of universal
history-the wars of conquest and ambi-
tion-we enter on the credit side the
struggles wherein the weaker combatted
the stronger to overthrow the doctrine
that might makes right. These wars
We're always waged by the weaker side
at fearful odds, but the defenders Of
liberty were conscious of the rectitude
of their cause. They fought for the nat
ural rights given to them by their
Maker: they fought for their country,
their homes, and their kindred. 1t is not
wonderful that from these incentives
there came a desperate courage before
xy-nt tol, 19. ai,,in Of
There is not recorded in history a
more notable and determined war for
liberty than the American Revolution
That thirteen feeble colonies ON the At
IanaIc seaboard of North America
should have successfully defed the
arms of Great Britain-arms that had
wtthstood the allied powers of Europe
presented to the crowned heads of the
Eastern hemisphere not only menace
but a DOOM
The Declaration OF Independence by
the American Colonies meant not only
that they would be free. but that the
branches OF the tree of liberty thus
firmly rooted would cover a continent
The historical document on which our
independence is founded has curtailed
monarchical power Uhe world over. At
tory of the American heroes of 1776
survives TO stimulats the gallant Gu
Cbans. and to encourage those whom
Turkey has SO long oppressed Let us
trust that In the remaining years of the
nineteenth century there Will be wit
pessed an intervention by civilized ma
tions that viii stay the flowing Of in
noeenf blood; that the expressions of
effete Spain viii be ended, and the
dread power of the Ottoman humbled
and destroyed.
But potendad for good to the civil
.zed world as the foundation and main
tenance of our Government has been. I
our own people have reaped the more
substantial advantages.
Yet after the gallant fight made by
our Revolutionary fathers. which re-
suited In the establishment of the Re-
public, there remained a problegn
Would it endure? In his farewell ad-
dress 10 the American people "a paper
that each Of You should read) Wash
ington carefully pointed cut the dam
gers that might beSet the pathway of
the young nation. The very earnest
ness of his admonttfons manifested
that ne foresaw events that transpired
years after his eyes had closed in
death When the crisis of internal dis
sensions came. however, the guiding
hand of benificent Providence placed
Lincoln in the Presidential chair.
We cannot think of that troubled
man without comrniseration. Cruel
fate destroyed him at a time when the
first rift of sunshine broke through the
gloomy clouds. His great life work