Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-07-04
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! The Fourth
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Celebrating the Day
In Foreign Cities =. :

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The French made Independence day
possible in the United States. Yet the
French take no more interest in the
Fourth of duly than we do in the Four
teenth of July, which is their great day
of rejoicing. There is in Paris, however,
a 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 a 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 SEQ, including visitors as well as resi-
deaf 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 ambassador and his wife.
The ambassador of the United States
at Berlin also gives 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 a dinner on Independence day at
the Criterion or Holborn restaurant. The
American minister sits at the head of the
table. Over his head is 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
yiolets, daisies and red geraniums, with
electric stars, is the center of the decora-
tive scheme A miniature of Bartholdi' s
great statue of Liberty looks down on
the scene. Amid these inspiring surround
ings the members of the American society
renew their allegiance to the 'sstar SPAN
gled 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 the afternoon the American embas-
sador gives a reception, to which every
resident and visiting American is invited.
Many distinguished Englshmen are
among the ambassadors guests, for the
English are much more willing to forget
the animosities 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 l was in Geneva, says
a newspaper correspondent, | arrived
on the evening of the Sd of July. Geneva
was warm and sticky, something like
New York and Boston as | have known
them on the eve of Independence day. l
left my hotel-it was not one affected by
American tourists-for stroll through
the city. From the upper window of one
of the shops which looked Oh the narrow
cobble paved street hung an American
flag beside the flag of Switzerland. | was
puzzled for a minute. One sees the stars
and stripes a great deal, and sometimes
in the large cities even shopkeepers will
use them to attract the attention of pos
sible 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 it flashed over me that it was the
GLORIOUS Fourth and that in my home
in the United States at that minute hum
dreds of thousands of flags were 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 50 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
a lesser republic to the greatest and most
successful example of popular govern
ment which the world has seen.
In Yokohama the American 1ndepend-
ence day is far more joyially celebrated
A ! A,xe