The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-05
THE DAY AT BOHEMIAN.

THE DAY AT BOHEMIAN.
| mr. weed Speaks of Americas Splendid
| Achievements.
Bozeman, July 4.-Bozeman's celebra-
| ton of the Fourth was hearty and en-
| thusiast1c. The town was full of Wis
1tors from the Gallatin valley. The
| weather was as near perfection as DOS
sible and the city was gay with flags
and bunting. The principal feature of
the day was the Grafton of Hon. E. d.
Weed of Helena Mr.. Weed said in
| part:
This is the one day of all the year
| consecrated to the uses of patriotism.
This is the one day sacred to the men,
DRY of those devoted men who laid bet
of the American republic.
Stilled to-day are the riyalries of
business, the clamor of partisanshipa and
| the contentious of factions To-day
every American is "a patriot, consumed
with zeal for American institutions and
| loyalty to the old stars and stripes. 1t
| is fitting and proper that the American
people should celebrate this dar To
my mind this Fourth of July. 1899, is
| the greatest anniversary of the repub-
| lie known to us of this generation.
For the fourth time in our history
we have passed triumphantly through
| foreign war. The result of the war
with Spain has brought to the Ameri-
| can people more Of glory, more of OPP
portunity and a larger measure of re-
| sponsibility than any other event of
| modern times. We are taking now our
| rlIghtful place among the nations of
! the earth. ,..aa. -a ...-...
The end Of the conflict was the logical
| outgrowth of the declaration of indie
| pendence of 1776. The unequaled vic
| tory of Dewey at Manila, the crushing
| of the Spanish fleet off Santiago one
year ago to-day and the splendid tri-
| umph of the land forces at San Juan
| Hill and Ell Caney, all followed in the
train of the great principles declared
by those who laid the foundations of
American institutions.
Manila bay and Santiago are but the
| echoes of Bunker Hill and Yorktown.
The generation which gave birth to
the American republic was one of
great mental and moral activity. This
was true not only on the western hem
isphere, but in Europe and throughout
the world. The mind was emancipat-
ing itself. Ideas of government were
changing as never before. The masses
We're beginning to do their own think
ing.
Fellow citizers, while the war with
Spain has closed, and free institutions
have triumphed over the divine right
of kings, there has followed, it would
seem, in obedience. to the logic of
events, a contest with the native races
in the Philippine islands. Whatever
c'fferences of optai)1 exist as to the
policy of this government in reference
to the future of these islands, there is
but one mind as to the duty of patri-
otism when the flag of the country
was fired upon. 1t must be defended a
whatever cost, No other course is open
to patriotism. National honor has no
other way, and there can be but one re-
suit. Barbarism must yield to civiliza-
ton. Light will conquer darkness.
Neither the savagecy Of Spain nor the
ignorance and anarchy of her colonies
can obstruct the march of free instdtu-
tions. That has been written in the
eternal laws which govern the advance
of civilization.
Our own state has contributed its
full share to the triumph which the
future holds in store for republican
institutions in those islands of the sea-
Her gallant sons are battling there To-
day in defence of those principles of
government under which we live, in de-
fence of the old stars and stripes, which
represent the dignity of American citi-
Zenship the world over. Some have
fallen in the contest. They belong to
the splendid army of martyrs to liberty.
They will be cherished forever in the
love OF our people. IhGlr lives ana
death will be recorded in the histories
of their state and nation.
The peerless French, the noble Tilly
and the gallant and splendid old soldier
of your own county, General James w.
brennan, all have given their lives for
the honor of the flag of their country
and to promote the cause of civiliZa-
ton. We pay to their memory this day.
loving and reverent tribute, and send
to their gallant comrades on the firing
line gratitude and greeting, and God
bless them, from the patriotic people
of thir state.
My friends, war is a terrible thing,
1t is true but it is not without its COM
pensations. A war such as this is one
of self-sacrifice, as we who have friends
and dear ones now bearing aIoft in
those distant islands the splendid ban
ner of freedom can bear loving testi-
mony. And 1t seems to be a law Of our
nature that all that is best and noblest
in human character is the result of
true of the nation as of the Individual
and the sacrifices which are necessary
in this war will uplift and ennoble the
American character.
The material greatness of our coun-
try-do we realize it? America is to-
day leading the procession of the ma
tions. She has one-fifth of the wealth
of the world. Our people earn each
year nearly as much as Great Britain
Germany, Austria and Italy combined
We grow one-fifth of the wheat, nine
tenths of the corn, and seven-eighths
of the cotton of the entire world. We
do two-fifths of the worlds mining.