Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-07-10
HON. 6. Il. EMERSON
PREDICTS BRIGHT FUTURE FOR
GRAYS HARBOR COUNTRY
In His Address at Aberdeen on the
Fourth of July. A Review of the
Past Twenty-Five Years, and a
Forecast of the Future of GrayS
HarbOr.

Fourth OF July is part OF the Ameri-
can people. No boy SO small that he
does not long for its coming and no man
so old he is not pie ,sed his morning
slumbers are disturbed by the bells aud
cannons.
No edict or law has prescribed its form
OF celebration. yet 90 where you will to-
day in this Dad land you will find it's
people in holiday attire; its flags floating
to the breeze its buildings arrayed in
bunting it's bells ringing; bands play.
ing; sports the order of the day and fire.
works of the night. 1t comes to the sur.
face Of this American nation as foam to
the surface of the sea; it is is an effer.
escence OF patriotism that escapes in this
form when relieved of the pressure Of
sterner duties.
The orator of the day with his spread
eagle and his old glory, his heroes and
his victories. is proper part of this
show as are plug ugys and the floats.
No American gathering is complete
without little speech making; it is a
part OF our national efferesence and must
bubble up when we are uncorked.
I wish could tell you of the screams
of the great American eagle, in true
Fourth of July stvle: Of the sunlit flag
we love, and weave together adjectives,
as to it's stars plucked from the heavens,
with their ground of blue sky, Of it's
stripes, emblem OF the SUMS rays; flag
of the free, ETC., floating today free as its
people, from every pole and housetop Of
every town; of every county; Of every
state Of this g eat country. wish, I say,
I were possessed of these stump orator
gifts, for such is the true spirit Of the
day. the genuine patriotic efferesence of
our nation as it appears spontaneously
on this one national holiday.
Our Fourth OF July celebrations are
genuine American patriotic enthusiasm.
They are guarantee America is nnit
and has nothing to fear should the world
unite against her.
1t is we'll for our nation to note the
milestones of its progress we'll to glance
at its achievements that we may Judge
of its future; we'll to recount its victories
by land and sea III the laboratory; in
the workshop; in the wilderness and on
the plains; not that we may boast, but
that we may do honor to our patriot.
The patriots that fought, that invented,
and those who conquered the Wilderness
Those who saved and those who built
our nation; they are equally our patriots.
This is the 10th anniversary of the
signing of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. One hundred and twenty. nine
years ago today the thirteen American
Colonies extended as a fringe along the
Atlantic shore. In front the sea, in the
rear the wilderness. In front the hostile
navy of England. in their rear the hostile
Indians. An army mensced New York !;
an army was marching from Canada.
Our fathers we're called "rebels" and re-
ceived neither moral or financial support
from any nation. All the world was
against them. Our resources seemed
exhausted our troops disheartened. No
wires flashed news; no railroads trans.
ported men and provisions no rapid
firing guns made the few the equal of the
many. Then it was when all was dark
est gloom there came from the Continen-
tai Congress the Declaration we meet to
celebrate. No bolder, grander words
ever flowed from pen. That declaration
was also the birth Of our nation.
Today that nation has grown to be a
young giant reaching across the con-
tinent, to the islands OF the Atlantic and
the islands of the Pacific and north to
the land of the Aurora, admired and re-
spected by all the world. Born of op-
preston, nurtured by necessity, adversi-
ty and hardship we have developed
sinews Of steel. We are a nation of en-
gineers and overcome all obstacles; of
chemists before whom the hills yield
their treasure. A nation OF explorers
and from ersmen, able to grappIe with
and subdue nature; fell the forests and
divert the rivers.
We are S0O0O,OoO of home builders.
Our area has increased IL times. Our
population 43 times; our wealth hun.
dreds OF times. This in l29 years. To
cross the continent in 1776, had the In.
dians permitted, would have required
years. Today week OF luxury and COM
fort suffice. Then the news of victory or
defeat could only be transmitted by
courier; sailing vessels brought first re-
port of European wars. Today we read