Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-07-01
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! The Fourth
! Abroad ~
{ Celebrating the Day
In Foreigp Cities -

fIehCn tuhe no more interest IN the
Fourth OF July than we do in the Four
teenth of July. which is their great day
OF rejoicing. There is in Paris, however,
greater official recognition of the ami
versary Of our independence than there
is in any other capital of Europe
AT the annual dinner given by the
American Chamber Of Commerce in that
city the minister of foreign affairs or the
minister of the colonies Is present, and
there are other distinguished Frenchmen
at the board. There is a large American
colony in Paris, composed chiefly of men
who have business interests there. They
always give banquet on the Fourth,
sometimes at the Galleries des Champs
Elysees. sometimes In the banquet room
Of the Grand hotel The American minis
ter, if he is in the city, always sits at the
head of the table. Often the guests num-
Der 800, including visitors as well as resi-
dent Americans. Toasts are drunk to the
president Of the United States, to the
president of the French republic and to
the Fourth and Fourteenth OF July
Lafayette's memory is kept green at
these annual gatherings, for almost every
American speaker makes some allusion
TO his services to our country. This Is not
the only tribute to the great Frenchman.
Many Americans visit his tomb on the
Fourth of July each year to decorate it
with flowers and to make speeches in his
memory. Another feature of the day is a
reception to visiting Americans given by
our cmba ssador and his wife.
The ambassador of the United States
at Berlin also gives n reception to Amer
leans on Independence day, but there is
so small an American colony in the Ger
man capital that the banquet is not fea-
ture of the anniversary. In Rome our
ambassador usually gives reception.
The American society in London is an
organization of resident Americans which
gives n dinner on Independence day at
the Criterion or Holborn restaurant. The
American minister sits at the head Of the
table. Over his head is a defiant eagle
(stuffed), and all around him are draped
flags of the Union intertwincd with the
British flag. Red, white and blue flowers
decorate the table. An American flag Of
violets, daisies and red gernnums. with
electric stars, Is the center of the decora-
tive scheme. A miniature Of Bartholdi's $
great stntue of Liberty looks down on
the scene. Amid these inspiring surround
ings the members of the American society
renew their allegiance to the star span
glcd banner" All the distinguished
Americans in London are present to
make spread eagle speeches, and consuls
of the United States from various cities
are among the guests. Greetings from
other Americans are read many of them
cable messages from New York and
Washington.
In n hn hnc
sador gives n reception, to which every
resident and visiting American is invited.
Many distinguished Englishmen are
among the ambassadors guests, for the
English are much more willing to forget
the anmosities of 1776 than we are.
The general observance of the Fourth
of July by the people of Switzerland is
one of the unexpected things which an
American traveller sees. If he has spent
Independence day in England or France
or Germany, where the only recognition
of the day comes from resident or visit
ing Americans, he will be surprised the
more.
The last time | was in Geneva, says
newspaper correspondent, | arrived
on the evening of the Sd of July. Geneva
was warm and sticky, something like
l
them on the eve of Independence day. |
left my hotcl-it was not one affected by
American tourists-for n stroll through
the city. From the upper window of one
of the shops which looked on the narrow
cobble paved street hung an American
flag beside the flag of Switzerland. | was
puzzled for II minute. One sees the stars
and stripes a great deal, and sometimes
a.
use them to attract the attention of pos
siblc American customers. But here in
Geneva on side street the flag appar-
entity had some other purpose. And just
beyond it was another, and then another.
Then ii flashed over me that it was the
GLORIOUS Fourth and that in my home
in the United States at that minute hun
drcds of thousands of flags We're flying
and millions Of crackers exploding to cele-
brate the anniversary. 1t was odd to be
reminded of the occasion by the people of
another land so far from my own, peo-
pie speaking another language and alien
to me in everything but their love of free
dom. 1t came upon me like an inspiration
that this was the tribute of the people of
lesser republic to the greatest and most
successful example of popular govern
mcnt WHICH tnG WOrlu ms seen.
In Yokohama the American lndepcnd-
encc day is far more jovially celebrated
than elsewhere in Japan All the Amer
lean houses sport bunting, and there is al
ways a feeling of rivalry regarding the
size of the flag exhibited. On the last
Fourth of July the proprietor of that pa
triotic. if sorry, little comic weekly sheet
The Box OF Curios displayed an Ameri-
can flag of gigantic size and gave all his
employees n holiday, winding up with a
great feast after the japanese fashion,
continued almost until the dawn of Ju-
ly :.
There is little or none of the noise
which attends the celebration of the day
in the United States, yet, even should
there he no American man-of-war in the
harbor, the ships of every other nation
anchored there make up for it by firing 0
salute of 81 guns, and most amusing are
the scenes at the American consulate gen
eral, where from an early hour in the
morning patriotic Americans assemble
IL.