The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-03
CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH.

Utica. y. ", tomorrow ana lion
Champ Clark, of Missouri, will talk
about Old Glory at Springfield, Massa
chusetts.
There is world of meaning in these
announcements. When before, except
in the broad and truly national Tam
many Hall, was a Southern Democrat
honored with an invitation To speak III u
Northern city at the celebration of the
eountry's natal day? There may have
been instances but they have escaped
our attention. This year Mr.. Bailey and
Mr. Clark are two of score of South
ern congressman who have accepted IN
yitations TO be the chief speakers at
celebrations in Northern cities,
There is deep meaning In this one
that is easily understood, The Civil
war ended with the hltterieSt fees, North
and South. when Joe Wheeler and FitZ.
Lee hecane officers Of the Federal army
and the son of Confederate soldier
from North Carolina, m officer in the
American navy, was the first man to
give his life Cor the common country.
The New York Tribune voiced the uni
versal opinion when it said, I'VE are all
Worth Baglcy's countrymen." and de
clared that his blood had cemented the
bond between all sections of the Ameri-
can Union.
Under the shadow of the great grief
in thousand homes, plunged into sorrow
by the casualties at Santiago, the noble
dead and wounded coming from all por-
tons of the Republic, there can be no
sectional lines The celebration of this
Fourth, more universal than ever, is
likewise more mournful than any Fourth
that has come in the life of this genera
ton. New made graves in Cuba and
brave men buried in the sea, and the
deep anxiety about the others who daily
face death-these things have made the
nation one, ms nothing else could have
done. Just rs no husband and wife can
remain sapart over the grave of their
child, so no two sections can be
estranged when their sons and fathers
die side by side fighting for the same
cause and are buried in common grave.
The celebration of the Fourth Of July
was never the great day in the South
that it is in the North. Superficial OBJ
servers of this fact have thought it indi-
real reason is that the South is an agr-
cultural section and an observance of
the Fourth necessitates public gather
ing. Before the war, Christmas was the
great day because it's celebration did not
depend upon a coming together of the
people, but was most enjoyable when
each plantation had its own round of
pleasures The conditions since the war
so far as they have altered, have
ing districts there was no money in July
whereas at Christmas the returns from
the crops gave what supply of money
the farming population had for the year.
In July the farmers are busy in their
fields and have no time to celebrate,
whereas in December, their crops are
harvested and it is the season when
there is the least TO do on the farm.
The towns and villages have always had
loe oil bpaf ht,t 10
color from their surroundings, Christmas
and not the Fourth has been the great
day for fireworks i'm the South. The
climate may furnish another reason.
There is not much fun in blowing over
live Goals to get fire for pop-crackers
when the thermometer is % in the shade,
whereas in the cold days Of December
the fire and the fireworks help to keep
ones finger warm.
The revival of the celebration Of the
Fourth of July in the South, of which
so much is said, is confined chiefly to the
large towns and cities. This is not be-
cause they are more patriotic than the
people living in the rural districts, but
because they are congregated in the cit
les and can act quickly in concert. If
willingness to enlist is the test of pa
triotism, the farming population is much
more patriotic than those who live in
towns and cities, for the volunteers have
mostly come from the rural districts. We
take it that responding to the call for
men to defend Old Glory shows Il high
or spirit of devotion to country than par
ticpation in a glorious celebration of In
dependence day, desirable and praise
worthy as il is to make the day notable
because it cducates in patriotism and
valor.
The tendency Of the population in the
South toward the centres, quickened by
the fact that thousands of its
sons are marching under the flag and it
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