Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-04
Patriots in Philadelphia Enjoy an
Elaborate Celebration.
EX-SENATOR EDMUNDy Al
New York's Enthusiastic and Noisy
Observance Of the Occasion.
OUR FLAGS IN LONDON


ton of the Fourth of July in this city was
unusually elaborate. Not in the history of
the city have the decorations been so pro-
fuse AS far as the eye can reach there
Is an almost solid canopy of red, white and
blue flags and bunting.
The first event Of the days observances
was the parade. which was gigantic af-
fair composed of huge floats and marching
men.
The Pennsylvania Society Of the War of
1872 had charge of the exercises In indie
pendence Hall. Unusual interest attached
to the ceremonies because the old state
house. which has been undergoing restora-
ton, was to be formally turned over to the
city.
A quaint feature of the exercises was an
elaborate historic procession in which the
Sons Of Veterans took a conspicuous part
Members of the society dressed in the uni
forms of various war periods of the United
States presented a picturesque appearance.
After the reading Of the Declaration Of In
dependence the old building was turned
over to the city, Director of Public Safety
Ritter accepting it.
Mr.. Edmunds' Address.
Ex-United States Senator George F. Ed
munds deliye the Grafton Of the day. He
said:
1t was not territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of
thu spoils Of war that led our government
to begin the war against Spain, disturbing
cur trade, greatly increasing our taxes and
public debt, and more than all, sacrificing
the lives of many of citizens. 1t was
solely to relieve a neighboring people from
abhorrent conditions imposed upon them
by Spain, and which had become "a dis
grace to Christian civilization and which
had eliminated in the destruction of the.
Maine, with great number of her officers
and crew.
Neither what Is called Imperialism nor
jingoism were allowed, even by Implication
to play any part in this great and terrible
drama of war. Indeed, no such declaration
by Congress was necessary, l should hope,
save to diSpel the suspicious and discon-
te nts of other nations, whose own careers
might lead them to think that the Interior
object of this war must be The increase of
territorial dominion; for Congress and the
people of the United States perfectly under
stood that an essential element in the ma
ture of a republic is that all it's citizens
shall have voice in its government.
Under our system, states having by the
Constitution equal power in the Senate
with every other state, naturally and al
most inevitable developed out of territorial
governments. Hence Congress and the peo
pie, having in view the principles and his
tory l have before mentioned, could not
think of taking into the family of states
separate peoples not homogeneous with
our own to share in making laws for this
country. But whether integral equal po-
litical parts of cur republic not, the pos
session of distinct territory continually in
wolves, as all nations have found, the main
tenance of great standing armies and great
navies, with the enormous expense and
other evils attending their existence. The
termination of var must, of course, be fol-
lowed by indemnity to the victor, but the
victor should be very careful to see that
the supposed indemnity does not prove an
m INV WV rat hnr hon tfSfn Htf TON
Words of Warming.
The relations (often changing) of great
powers with each other would make it ex-
tremely lnconyenient, and indeed danger
Gus, for US to enter into any permanent al
lance with any Of them. They all are our
friends professedly, and so far as their peo-
pie are concerned, they are, I have no
doubt, really so.
Any alliance in the broad sense there
fore, with one power would raise distrust
in all the others, and might be injurious to
our ally, as we'll as to ourselves. The
warning of Washington, uttered soon after
the termination of our practical and bene-
fetal alliance with France, is more valu-
able now, when we strong, than it was
a century ago, when we were weak
1t Is very true, am glad to think, that
sympathies of race and language and SINH
lar ties of social Institutions will always
have their just sway, and will particularly
lead such nations as possess than, always
to cooperate as occasion arises, as far as
possible consistently with justice to others,
in attaining the great and beneficent ends
Of continually improving civilization and
increasing welfare among all peoples, and,
by SO much, diminishing provocations to
war, and aid to bring in tina reign of pea ce
1t Is the intention of the authorities to
establish permanent national museum in
Independence Hall. more complete in every
detail than the one that has been main
tanned there for many years, of portraits
paintings and relics of every description in
connection with the formation of the Amer
lean republic.