Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-07-11
A BIG FOURTH OF JULY.
MARRIED ONLY BY THE SPEECH.
A Large Crowd Gathers to Celebrate
the Natal Day. Sports and Fire
works We're All Fine.

After weeks retrospect we view the
Fourth of July celebration as an event
marred only in one particular-the
speech of Ignatius Donnelly. The
weather man did his best and gave us
an ideal day, and early in the morning
the people began to arrive, and they
kept coming until after the parade had
started, until the main streets of the
city were filed with peoE lie. Both the
Milwaukee and Burlington trains
swelled the crowd, until it became evil
dent that Decorah was to entertain a
very large number on that day.
The procession formed on Water
street near the b. &. r. & n. depot and
moved promptly as announced west to
Mechanic street, then south to Broad
way, east to Court, north to Main, and
east to the speakers stand. The De
corah City Band rendered an inspiring
patriotic overture, DR.. Nj. Willett
offered the invocation, and Mayor Geo.
w. Adams delivered brief address of
welcome which at once placed the
crowd in happy mood, and won en-
thusiastic applause. A male chorus
composed of Luren, Frohsinn and 9TH
ers sang beautiful selections which
were much enjoyed by all.
And hen came the speech. Hon
Ignatius Donnelly, of Minnesota, was
introduced, and an emaciated, decrepid
looking old man rose to his feet, an ex-
pectant audience waiting to be en-
Unused with patriotic oratory. Instead,
his opening remarks reminded one of
school boy reciting his first piece.
His thoughts were disconnected, his
words were jumbled together in mean
ingless array. and he could not be heard
twenty feet from the stand, so that in
fifteen minutes time nearly half the
audience eft. 1t was failure. But
he was more subject Of pity than Gen.
sure. A few years ago Donnelly was
one of the foremost orators of the ma
ton, and now that in his old age his
vitality, both mental and physical, has
left him, is sad, indeed. And it is evil
dent that he himself does not realize 1T.
But it is due the committee to state
that they were as greatly disappointed
as anyone. When Mr.. Donnelly wired
his acceptance they were elated. They
supposed they had secured an orator
that would please all, and paid him
well for coming. 1t was simply one
of those circumstances for which no
one was to blame.
Promptly after dinner the program OF
sports began, with an exciting hub and
hub race between Hose Co.'S Nos. and
2, No. 2 being the victor.
The fire department running to
fire and the hosting of ladders by the
Hook and Ladder company was very
interesting feature and pleased the
large crowd that witnessedit. The five
mile bicycle race was won by Melvin
johnson, Ole Liquin second, Carl Free
berg third and Herman. Gllbertson
fourth.
Gerald March captured first money
iu the two mile bicycle race for boys,
John Jewell second, and Carleton
Fields third.
The one hundred yard dash was won
by Sigurd Reque, Carl Preus second
and Albert Vance third. A large crowd
witnessed the ball game which was
won by Decorah, score IL to 8. Con-
sidering the fact that both teams were
out of practice it was an excellent
game.
The exhibition of trained dogs early
i'm the afternoon and after supper by
Plof. Albert Mansfield were excellent,
and the many difficult and comical
feats were heartily applauded.
After supper the Decorah City Band
gave one of their popular open air con-
certs. The patriotic numbers and diff
cult overtures were well rendered and
the band upheld their reputation as
one of the best in Iowa.
Following the concert came one of
the most pleasing features of the day
the display of fireworks. This display
was prepared at large expense, and was
undoubtedly the finest ever seen in this
section, and delighted everyone who
saw Ii.
We must not forget the free bowery.
1t was a center OF attraction from the
time it was opened until midnight, and
was always full of merry dancers.
With the one exception Of the orator,
the celebration was grand success.
The committees labored diligently to
make it such, and are entitled to high
est praise. <
In the campaign of 1896 the Demo-
cratic ticket had the cooperation of the
empty stomach. Thanks to Repub-
lican legislation, 1t will cut no figure
this year.