The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-05
Celebration of the Nations
Birthday Entered into
With Patriotic ArdOr-
Inspiring Exercises at
White House.
Ovations TO Ambassador
JeusSerand and Secretary
Moody, Orators of the
Day--Singing By Chill
dren and Adult ChoruSeS.

The Fourth of July, 1903. has passed
into history, but the record of it's events
VIII always be a source of pardOnable
pride to the citizens of the District of
Columbia. 1t is the brightest of the
many gems that form the galaxy of the
days we have celebrated" and the cere-
monies observed on the northeast lawn
OF the White House were perhaps the
most impressive that have ever been held
within the shadow of that historic man
sion. Courtesies were exchanged be-
tween the men who have maintained the
supremacy of the American nation and
the representative of our sister Repub-
lie and ally in the observation-disclosures.
At 10 O'Clock the gates of the White
House Grounds were thrown open, and
the general public admitted to the north
east lawn. where a stand had been erect
ed for the speakers, and where seats we're
provided for the civic organizations and
otLer specially invited guests. Many of
the seats were occupied by persons not
holding tickets, and those who came five
or ten minutes late discovered that their
little pink card bearing the inscription,
GOOD for One Reserved Seat" was of
no significance whatever
An Impressive Spectacle.
The scene was animated. beautiful.
impressive. Sheltered on the south and
nv
Executive Mansion, an audience OF :. 900
enthusiastic citizens gathered beneath
the shade of the elms. most of them
standing upon a soft green carpet. fig
ured here and there by the morning sun
as 1t stole through the leaves. The
green Of the trees and grass. the white
gowns of the school children, the more
somber attire of their fathers and
brothers, with the Stars and Stripes
floating from every vantage point, COM
pleted a contrast and withaI a harmony
OF color that could only be equaled by
the sentiment of the occasion.
Immediately in front OF the speakers
stand was the Marine Band. uniformed
in white. with Lieutenant Santelmann at
its head. North OF the band stood more
than hundred school children, ranging
in age from eight to fifteen years, who
sang the airs that have inspired Ameri-
can enthusiasm for many generations
To the south of the band. opposing the
children's chorus only in position, was
the adult chorus. numbering seventy five
or eighty. Their singing OF the Anvil
Chorus" was applauded to the echo. and
an encore demanded The patriotic
societies OF the District were the special
guests OF the day, and were seated. ac-
cording to seniority, Immediately in
frcnt OF the band
Following THE StaT-Spangled Ban
ner." played by the Marine Band. the
Rev. d. J. Stafford. pastor OF St. Pat
rick's Church, opened the exercises with
an appropriate invocation, giving thanks
TO the Almighty for the progress of the
American people. The Hon. Henry B. f.
Mcfarland. President Of the Board Of
District Commissioners and presiding Of
ficer of the day, was the first speaker.
With his usual pleasing address he well
coined the guests and assembled public,
recounting also many of the events and
circumstances which led up to the pro-
mitigation OF the Declaration Of indie
pendence.
The children then sang MY Own
United States" and Commissioner Mac
farland arose 10 introduce Admiral
Dewey. The most famous admiral in
all the world" began Mr. mcfarland,
but that was as far as he got at that
moment. The crowd was anxious to re-
lease some CT its peBt up enthusiasm.
and this vyaa he full v
FIVE minutes the Admiral stood by the
side OF the Commissioner bowling his ac-
acknowledgements 20 the cheering thou
sands
Admiral Dewey thanked the audience
for its demonstration. and in a few we'll
chosen words introduced Barry Buckley.
secretary OF the Business Mems Associa-
tion. and a member OF the Sons OF the
Revolution. who read the Declaration Of
Independence. This was followed by
singing My Country, It's OF Thee" by
the entire audience.
Monsieur J. J. Jusserand was the next
speaker and was introduced by Commits
sioner Macfarland.
N. JusSerand's Grafton.
". Jusserand said:
one hundred and twenty-seven years
ago, on a Thursday. toward evening.
Fifty men were gathered in hall In
Philadelphia, which could not yet be
called Independence Hall II was indeed
solemn oecasion-one of those great
days when the fate OF nations is decided
mo deed. no battle. no treaty was TO
be. In the whole of modern history. of
IA.
which these men peacefully met in the
brick house with bell tower. stlll 10 be
seen in Philadelphia. For a long time
there had been among them doubts and
anxieties. and now they had made up
their minds.
What took placer What words were
exchanged? We should like to know
them to the minutest particulars. But