Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-06-29

lusty infant has read its world famed
Declaration Of Independence, dccaimcd
fits patriotic speeches, fired its hundred
guns at sunrise and flung its starry ban
ncr to the breeze in three centuries.
In the eighteenth century it had but 13
stars in the blue union of that banner,
typical of the 13 original states that
sounded the dcathkncll of taxation with
out representation and proclaimed to the
world that all men were created free and
equal and were possessed of the inalcna-
Bile rights of life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness. In its second century, the
nineteenth. the 13 stars were replaced by
40. typical of the 40 states, and the ma
ton grew to be one of the strongest, rich
est and most enlightened nations of the
globe In its third century. the twentieth,
1t looks back upon brief but wonderful
past and with straining, impatient, amhi-
tious, undaunted eyes gaZcs toward
more wonderful future.
Compared with the "glory that was
Greece and the grandeur that was Rome"
our mighty republic is I'm age but q babe
in arms, but beyond n doubt it is not lack
ing in self satisfaction, self reliance and
the self consciousness that it already is
the greatest nation that has been created
since history was first made Greece was
great for many centuries. Rome for
thousand years, and. while the giant in
FAINT among the republics OF the western
hemisphere is but paltry century and
quarter In age, there is strength in youth
and weakness and dccadence in old ago
when nations are put to the test.
Except for the fact that July 1, 1901,
marks tho pnlphr1 finn nj llprt vs. nnta al
day in three centuries. there is little about
the first Fourthof the twentieth century to
distinguish il from the last Fourth of the
nineteenth century. In fact there have
been few changes in the celebration in the
past quarter of century. The small boy
burns tons Of powder in his deadly toy
pistol in his little cannon and in his nu-
mCrOuS lunches of frecrackers; he also
shoots off innumcrable torpcdocs and
burns miles Of punk and fingers; the local
military. the fremen and the secret So
cietics parade, headed by the city fathers
in carriages; athletic young r.cn engage
In sack races, foot races. bicycle races
and other contests; the immortal Dcclara-
tiOn is read to an audience one-tenth Of
Ehom hear what the reader says; there
are n patriotic Grafton and a grand ball
and fireworks in the evening.
The most notable change In the ccle-
bration OF the twentieth ccntury's first
Fourth Is the change that has taken place
in patriotic oratory. From the close of
the Revolution to the beginning of the
Spanish American war the Fourth Of
July orator who knew his business turned
loose the floods of his somewhat ford
rhetoric upon Great Britain. the trad-
nI Of tbn pnpnllin iS
main theme included glorifcatiOn OF the
"embattled farmers" the men of 1II6,
the heroes of the navy and the signeTs of
the Declaration of Independence and de-
nunciation Of the British tyrant who had
endeavOrcd to fastcn his yoke upon the
necks Of Americas patriots. 1t was also
quite apt to include few words to the
effect that If Great Britain wanted an