The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-01

firecracker fiends OF Manila in getting
up celebration racket.
However, all over the islands. even
in the isolated districts covered by our
troops In the Viscayas-that is, in Cebu.
Negroes and Panay, where the garrisons
arc but handfuls in comparison to the
natives under arms or prepared for war
the day was formally observed. AT IL
o. clock noon, when the guns of the Sixth
Artillery Numbered the national salute
on the Luneta, at Manila, and the war
ship in the harbor and along the coast
echoed In response, the field batteries or
the army all over the islands swelled the
salvos. Those who had ears in Luzon
heard Uncle Sans Declaration Of INDIE
pendence announced by the lannon's roar.
SO, too, in NegrOs and Panay ana in
the robber-infested mountains of Cebu.
And to make the soldiers on routine duty
feel that they are Columbia's children as
well as her bodyguard, every man had an
extra good dinner, served with the best
deiicacies the camp and the available
markets afforded. Thus the army kept
the spirit of the day and set a good ex-
ample, even IL the hurrahing was IT.
tie shy for Yankee crowds. BY the way.
I forgot to mention that when the day
was officially ushered in throughout the
camp by the bugle notes of army reveilie,
the regimental bands along the miles ana
miles of camps, a perfect girdle, you
must understand, across Luzon and the
Viscayas, played, THE Star Spanged
Banner" To say the least, handicapped
as the army was off on the other side OF
the globe, in a wild and generally hostile
country, the day all Americans love to
celebrate was MOI neglected. As to Ma
Mia and the Filipino population generally
on July Fourth, 1899, / wish could ade-
quately describe the central festivities
which marked the day.
1.-THE Escolta, which might be called the
Broadway of Mania, although II Is very
narrow street In point of fact, was alive
with bunting, and II 1t was all the Yam
kee arrangement of red, white and blue,
1t was nuttering and floating, moving and
dipping in the strong breeze which blew
up from the harbor. simply IN honor OF
July Fourth. 1T6. Every flag that has a
mission In the Philippines. except, OF
course one, was In evidence high and
low along the Escolts. Old Glory. here.
there and everywhere, the Union Jack
ditto; then the red, white and black
standard Of the German Fatheriand, al
ternating with and peacefully carressing
tri-color of La Belle France. SPANS flag
was In the display and waved as proudly
as ever. There we're flags, too, of the yell
lows, and fiags of the blacks; all flags,
but Aguinaldo's. But II Aguinaldo's stan
dard was missed by any one on the Es-
Gotta that day, the disappointed individual
didn't let his neighbor know It. Every
body seemed happy, and all that was miss
ed, so far as any observer could Judge,
was the time that didn't officially belong
to the Fourth OF July. 1t was all too
short. Gen. Otis 6urfew signal came IN
the middle OF the fun, Just when the frol-
licking was too furious to stop without a
long, period OF grace to let so easy, as the
old cat dies II took from $50 .. m. the
curfew hour. until some time In the fore
noon OF the 9Th for Manila to really give
over footing and toasting and gyrating
In honor OF Uncle SANS birthday. But
the Luneta was the scene OF the real
show The Luneta OF Manila Is a crescent
shape plaza overlooking the beach. There
the bands play for the populace and there
all the parades and public denominations
are held. II was crowded like a country
fair ground on prize day, the Fourth OF
July, 1890 Not only FillpInos of all shades
pure black and half breed we're there, but
spaniards and Japs and heather Chinese,
Germans in swerms, some Frenchmen and
hosts of Englshmen. The professional
globe trotter, no matter what his nation
allty, enjoys show, even " he doesn't
quite approve OF the motive behind H., and
the English sojourners at Manila entered
heartily into the first Fourth. IN spite Of
painful recollecdons. Soldiers and sailors
In troops end squads were there, on duty
for the nonce. and IN for a holiday.
"Manilas suburban folks, the gentry