The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1905-07-21
PIONEER DAY CELEBRATION.
RIackfoot Is Making Big Preparations
For Next Monday.

n
Everybody is making great prepare
tions for the big Celebration to be helt
in Blackfoot on Pioneer Day, next Mon
day, July "a. The merchants will have
some of the most beautiful and unique
floats ever formed in parade inthe West
The Indian feature will be an attraction
in itself worth coming miles to see, and
the procession promises an almost end
less display of tinery and grotesque spec
tacles which will interest, amuse and en-
tertain every visitor to the Grove City
on that day. The entire program, which
begins early IN the forenoon and contin
nes until late at night is full of features
that are sure to interest all. The sports
in the afternoon, including game
league ball between Pocatello and
Blackfoot, are to be pulled off at the
fair grounds in the afternoon and the
;grandstand and grounds will no doubt
Oe packed WIN people.
y Blackfoot is making preparations fol
the entertainment of one Of the largest
crowds that has ever assembled here and
nothing that will add to their entertain
ment will be left undone. People for
miles and miles around are planning to
take in this big carnival Of fun and frolic
. and the Grove City will accord one and
all hearty welcome.
"Why do we celebrate this day9" The
question is on q myriad Of lips. And
from myriad Of hearts the answer wells
up as do the waters Of the mountain
spring, because there is something back
Of it buried deep.
In effect the answer is divided, as is
the time of pendulum, vibrating be-
tween two points. We celebrate the
oath of July, because on that day in 1s47
the Mormon leaders crossed the big di-
vide into the Salt Lake Valley and pro-
ceeded to settle the land and make
. homes in the barren plains which no
| body had ever claimed and which it was
J. thought nobody else would ever want.
This was the beginning of the move
ment that made headquarters for Nor
monism, to exert it's influence to such
extent as it might, around the world.
4 This is one Of the answers touched by
! the pendulum, and while it is source
of honest pride to one class, it calls forth
n alstrange mixture of recognition and dis
approval from another slass. This part
of the subject with it's differences we
leave to you and to you belongs the re-
sponsibility for the attitude you take
and the results it brings at the final
Reconing.
The other answer to the question
"Why do we celebrate this day?" is that
it marked the beginning of settlement
by white men, of the Great Plateau. 1t
was the beginning of irrigation and ag-
riculture and the things of civilization
in land that was about to be given
over from the wild untutored savage and
the other animals with which he coped,
to be brought under the dominion of the
race that takes the great plains to make
a play house for the mighty rivers,
where the hand of agriculture causes
peace and plenty to nestle in Joy and
comfort.
Ever SINCE the days of the Caesars,
the crossing of the. Rubican has been
spoken of as an important hour in the
history of the world, but it is doubtful
if it was considered important at that
time. A great and honored murderer
! who had also the traits Of character
that made him dare to do, crossed
river and commenced work of carnage.
In this other case man who was not
without notoriety, crossed deserts and
mountain ranges, and commenced a
work that stands out in sharp contrast
with that of Caesar in the destruction of
life and laying waste fertile country.
In these SO years the terrors of the
deserts and canyons have given way to
GASES and pleasure resorts.
The hand cart, the OK team and the
Pony Express have been replaced by the
moving palace developed by machinists
who put the breath Of the tea kettle
into the iron horse and who extracted
vitality from the clouds to drive their
machinery and flash their messages
around the world.
In celebrating this day we celebrate
the change, and the acts which made the
change possible.
Whether we approve Of the entire
nj )ral code and religious beliefs of the
4 pneers is not for us to question today,
an more than for us to question the
methods of Caesar. They did things.
They broke the power Of crude things
that stood in the way of us today, and
Mormons and Gentiles alike see that on
~. y .lsx, =, oo laid tho foundation IF q