Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-06-12
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE.

The DAY WE CGIconAIE
As conservative and generally sound
q paper as the Springfield Republican
believes as we approach another
Fourth Of July ii is in order to inquire
we, the people, whose occasion this
pre-eminentIy is-how far Independ-
ence day, as celebrated. expresses the
sentiments that made it a day to be
commemorated. Many in Las Vegas
can be found who do not
believe the day as generally observed
Is invested with its true mean
ing. The immortal Declaration OF In.
dependence begins with the enuncia-
ton OF the equalityTmeaning the
equality of priyilege--of all men, and
popular will as the true basis Of gov
eminent. That is the ideal Of democ-
racy and Of republicanism. To this
tes the birthright OF the people OF
tn United States, we shall do well.
Oh lated seasons, 10 bring our nation
.s14fs. The successful establish
~ OF these principles, through the
sAcr.4ices and yalors Of the fathers,
gave to the Declaration the place in
american history which Magma Charta
and the death warrant OF Charles /.
occupy in English history. Thomas
Jefferson, who was no speaker. was
the author of the Declaration, but TO
| the eloquent advocacy OF John Adams
OF Massachusetts, must be given the
| credits Of its passage. How many OF
us know that these two sponsors died
upon the same day, July 4, 1926, the
Goth anniversary OF their joint sue
cess in producing the Declaration OF
independence? What a coincidence
that was' II Is for us to see to II
that time does not weaken or the
faithless succeed In outlaWing those
l lllINJpiIb tudN dlG tHt RGpult = AtRN
today us much as ever In all our ma
tlonal history. Equality OF privilege
and the dominance of the popular will
these must be basic in American life
else our heroic past is made a mock
cry and a lie. and we become degen
crate sons Of sires who dared all 70
liberty and won the fight. Alike witt
Memorial day does the Fourth Of Jul.
deserve to be made a living and vita
occasion, devoted to principles an
TO memories that teach with the elo
quence Of special pertinence to GU
time and its needs the lesson Of RICH
and freedom that we must regard !
the republic Is to be kept true to th'
teachings which both days embody.
True, il II that negligence of It
real meaning has come to general
mark the Fourth of July. This /
within the knowledge of ala con
monplace TOO little regarded and To
lightly considered when the fact
dwclt upon. by all means let III
! children and youth celebrate Ind
bounds. with sports and "a good time
but let them be taught what the ia
means. This has not been done. I'll
fathers saw to 1t that the Declaratiu
was read on the Fourth, and they II
vitcd their orators to expound its pril
ciplcs and to set forth what il co
ferred Of larger rights and greater r
sponsibilities. II meant the people
rule-the antithcsis OF privilege af
| those sinister rights. however a
: quircd which Cypress the people. TT
r man who. sees no occasion today f
such oid-fashioned preaching Is DIT
to the tendencies and perils of b
time. No revival is more needed,
any sound consideration Of Americ;
I life. than a new understanding of a
4 respect for the doctrines upon viii
the pioneers of 1875 planted the
public.
I'll Then let us read into this holid'
n