New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-04
THEIR FIRST FOURTH.
PORTO RICO. HAWAII AND GUAM JOIN
IN THE CELEBRATION
THE NATIONS BIRTHDAY MEANS MORE
SINCE 1T BEGAN A CAREER OF RULE
BEYOND SEAS.

BEYOND SEAS.
Such Fourth Of July as this ought TO be
a boon to those persons who have complained
OF late years that the Glorious Fourth has ceased
to mean anything and has become merely
time for noise. But probably II will not. Any
body so short sighted to be able to suppose
that the Fourth of July could ever cease to mean
anything will readily find some other application
for his short-sightedness, and will be as discon-
tented ever.
II will mean a good deal more to-day than II
has before in a good while. with the possible eX-
ception Of last year. 1t might almost be said
that the Nation will celebrate Santiago to-day
rather than the Declaration Of Independence.
1t celebrated Santiago a little yesterday, but 1t
did not seem to be quite settled whether it was
a real holiday or not and the general pubic
did not know how TO go about it.
Last year July was a gloomy day In New
York. All the news from Cuba had a note Of
disaster Almost everybody had feeling that
the worst reports that had been received were
better than the truth. Many said that nothing
like the truth had been sent. and that the losses
Of the American Army were certainly large. II
il was not actually defeated There little
relief in a kind of patriotic superstition that
nothing could go wrong on the Fourth of July,
and that the next day it was ten 10 one that
something would happen.
HOT DAY FOR SPAIN
The Sd OF July last summer the hottest
day OF the year in New York-the hottest of
many years. And it proved that IT was for
SrGin, too The next day a Fourth Of July
which no American who went through il will
ever forget. 1t was then that the news came OF
the destruction OF Cerveras fleet. II had been
hoped almost believed 80 great is the faith OF
Americans in the Fourth that Santiago would
be taken that day. 1t was suggested that the
Spaniards would take advantage OF tie day
and would try to get a little better terms fr'm
General Shafter In consideration Of their SIR
rendering then.
This hope was disappointed but no dsap-
pointment could weigh heavily on the minds of
a people who felt that they had just destroyed
the second Of the enemy's fleet within ten weeks.
with a total loss Of one man in two battles.
There settled upon the country that day
deeper sense that all was well than II had felt
in many days. The people knew then that they
had no present cause 10 dread the warning to
the land where wealth accumulates and men
decay" Americas wealth had a -cumulated.
without a doubt but its men had aot decayed.
The Nations birthday again marked not only
advancing age, but progress and achievement
And to-day will mark something, too. 1t is
the first birthday that the Nation has had since
II began a new career Of rule and influence be-
yond the sea Porto Rico and Hawaii and Guam
Will celebrate the Fourth to-day. The Philip
pines are slower to learn, but they have good
teachers They will rejoice in the lesson. too
when they have learned II.
WILL CELEBRATE WITH NOISE.
There is every indication that the people will
celebrate this day with more than the usuaI
sense that they have something TO celebrate
There is no indication, however, that they mean
TO celebrate it by thoughtfully reading the
declaration Of Independence and prayertuly
considering the higher duties Of citizenship. on
tho contrary. the dealers in fireworks say that
the sales this year have broken all records
T., tho Fourth has been in years gone by what
the complaining persons mentioned in the hrst
naragraph say that it has, that Is, day not OF
deem meditation, Thanksgiving and prayer. but
OF explosions, chiefly occasoned by and for the
.,,,usanent Of boys whose fault has it been?
1,hA bows have always been faithful In observing
,ho dav IN their own way. but they never kept
anvbody else from observing II in any way that
might occur to his severely patriotic and dyspep-
tic intellect II those who complain OF the boys
w,v. Of celebrating adopted no ways Of their
W., but left everything entirely to the boys, IT
,oo.. as ~ they had nobody to blame but them
saIvea ~ the day became one merely OF noise.
When the BOYS OF the Nation. as a class devote
themselves on the Fourth Of July. by preference.
10 the realization Of duties and responsible
ties and 10 historical and political study and re-
Election then let the Nation look out for itself
Then il will be In danger. go
But let II not begin to tremble yet. Iherv VIII
be noise enough to-day. The streets were not
djstressingly quiet even yesterday. There are
some new inventions for making noise, and they
are good ones. The most popular one seems to
be the Dewey bomb. 1t consists OF cyllndrlcal
piece of wood. about half an inch thick ana four
inches long with receptacle for paper percus-
sion caps at one end, and sort Of feather
brush at the other end Being loaded with caps,
1t is tossed in the air. The feathers steer II.
like the feathers on an arrow as surely as me
Olympia was steered, ana IL comes uo"H OH ItS
head with terrific bang.
BIG SALES OF FIREWORKS
There is stil large market for pistols for the
firing OF paper caps, and there are some new de- +,
signs. but the Dewey bomb is recommended in |
preference. as less likely to cause lockjaw or
blood poisoning by unfolding fragments Of pa
per in the hand OF the celebrant since the ex- /
nlosion takes place at distance from the hand /
that causes IT, Then there is the stick about a |
ward long with q sort Of tin cup over It's END 10 /
receive the paper caps, which makes truly !
desirable amount OF noise when the earth Is |
smitten with IT, This Is not new but II seems 10 |
he still popular So does the bomb In the shape /
of a grotesque head hung on string. Inc all /
pervading paper caps are placed inside the |
bomb which Is then dropped on the ground
which shakes with its detcnation and the |
string is for cony enience in picking II up again
There is another sort OF bomb, which looks
new and ingenious. II appears 10 be good
6 lied marble. coated with some sort az explosive /
paint When IT is thrown upon the ground the
part OF the coating which strikes goes Of with