The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-31
HOW ABOUT THE FOURTH
To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate,
That Is the Question.
1T is NOW TIME TO BEGIN
Anaconda Can Easily Repeat the Glor-
ious Celebration of Last Year.
How 1t Was Done Twelve
Months Ago.

Memorial day-VleWed as holiday
each year brings to mind the fact that
less than five weeks from the day when
flowers are laid upon the mounds that
rise above the departed loved ones &C.
ours another occasion, which is of even
greater Importance to the American cit
izen, young and old. man and woman
and child, than is Memorial day. That
occasion is the Fourth of July-this
countrys day of all days No sooner
are the ceremonies incident to Memo
rial day done than it becomes the duty
of patriotic Americans to begin prepar-
atoms for the proper observation of In
dependence day.
What will Anaconda do in the mat
ter of celebrating the Fourth of July
of the year 1899? Will she witness
repetition of the grand celebration of
last year, or will she, as unfortunately
has been the case so often in previous
years, permit that most glorious of all
occasions to go by the board? Ger
tainIy there can be but one answer to
the question-Anaconda will celebrate.
Every right-minded, patriotic citizen of
Anaconda is surely in favor of properly
observing the Fourth of July.
Thus far there has been little, if, in
deed any, talk concerning the obserV
ance of Independence day in Anaconda.
Not more than month and four days
intervene between this morning and
the morning of July A. A short month
Is not too long, indeed, it is often too
short, time in which to arrange the
details for a proper celebration. 1t is
true that last year the committees had
less than month in which to do their
work. and it is likewise true that they
made a grand success of the celebra-
ton. But they found themselves
pushed in several instances as the
members of the committees will clearly
remember. This year there is not the
need of rushing the arrangements that
there was last year, provided the pre-
liminary steps are taken at once.
1t would seem that no better plan for
a successful celebration of the glorious
Fourth this year can be followed than
that which was adopted last year. The
first step toward preparing for the
event II months ago was taken by
Mayor Lesser who then occupied the
seat which is at the head of municipal
affairs.
Mayor Leisers initial act in the mat
ter was to call a special meeting of the
determining what action the city, Off
cially, would take in regard to the cele-
bra ton. The aldermen at the special
meeting discussed the matter, but it
was found that the municipal govern
ment could do nothing toward helping
the proposition along in a financial way,
the law forbidding the expenditure Of
public funds for such purposes The
aldermen then did the next best thing.
aHo o.
the mayor to call a mass meeting of
the people to discuss the arrangements
The mass meeting was largely attend
ed. There were many patrlotlc
speeches and a great deal of enthuSi-
asm prevailed. Its result was the APP
pointment of several committees. There
was a committee on music, one on pa
rade, another on fireworks, one to look
after the sports, another to take care
Of the money, and still another to en-
gage speakers and attend to the little
details that We're not properly the af-
fairs of the other committees. The
committee on finance was made up OF
citizens representing every ward and
district of the city. Upon this COM
mittee devolved the work of soliciting
the funds which made it possible to
carry out the proposed plans. The
committee was successful in its eff
the result was highly gratifying.
Last years celebration was made the
more successful and was the more en-
Enthusiastically entered into by everyone
for the reason that the day marked the
destruction of Cervera's fleet at the
mouth of Santiago harbor. Everybody
will remember what a rOusing, slor-
ious time there was; how the fireworks
were so grand; how the bonfires
ln
how highly successful the whole thing
went through.
This year the ceremonies of last year
can be repeated and that, too. on a
larger scale. There is more time to
prepare for Americas greatest day
than there was last year and If the pre-
liminary steps are taken Immediately
Anaconda will have such glorious,
old-fashioned Fourth of July as there
never was before.
It's up to Mayor Madden.