Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-04

Noyes was in splendid voice and responded
to vigorous call for an encore by singing
Annie Laurie
Commissioner Mcfarland.
Commissioner II. B. F. mcfarland was
then introduced for an address, He said:
The shadow Of national sorrow en-
veiops this Fourth of July. We are
mourning the passing of the great Secre-
tary. Of State. who was the representative
of the District of Columbia in the national
government. We who knew him best loved
him most He was a loyal and generous
citizen OF the District. as well as asstates-
man of unexampled achievement and world
wide fame. / can testify not only to .nu-
merous benefactions. but to his keen and
helpful interest in District affairs. Again
and again. when I sought his counsel and
cooperation for the advancement of Dis
trict interests. under a kind offer of them
wnen l became Commissioner. he respond
ed with heartihess and showed the great
est pride In the national capital and the
greatest desire to serve it. s,ssz-s
1t lis appropriate to recall his cordial in
terest in the District government eelebra-
ton of Independence day two years ago.
and his regret that his early departure to
his summer home prevented his making
an address on that occasion.
Practical ideahst as he was. believing
profoundly in the practical value of spirit
ual things, he expressed the warmest COM
mendation of that celebration and hoped
that the national capital would never neg
lect the national birthday. We cannot
more fittingly honor his memory than by
honoring the day which he held sacred
for all that it represents
AS poet and orator he often expressed
the highest thoughts of the country. al
ways with gratitude for the past and hope
for the future Just one year ago~the 9Th
of July. in his address at Jackson. Michi-
gan. he summed up his belief in tire
ton. saying:
ut has never abated one jot or tittfe- of
the ancient law imposed US by our God
fearing ancestors. We have fought good
fight, but also we have kept the faith.
The constitution of our fathers has been
ever remain. that of ordered progress of
liberty under the law The country has
vastly increased. but the great-brained
statesmen who preceded us provided for
infinite growth The discoveries of science
have made miraculous additions to- our
knowledge. But we are not daunted by
progress; we are not afraid OF the light.
The fabric our fathers builded on such
fate or fortune There will always be a
proud pleasure in looking back on the his
tory they made: but. guided by their exam
pie, the coming generation has the right
to anticipate work not less important,
days equally memorable to mankind. We
who are passing off the stage bid you as
the children of Israel encamping by the
sea were hidden, to go forward: we whose
torch pass 1t on to you that its clear light
may show the truth to the ages that are
to come"
John Adams Prophecy:
at am apt to believe" said John
Adams of Independence day, after his argu-
ment and eloquence had induced the Con-
tinental Congress to adopt the Declaration
Of independence, "that It will be celebrated
by succeeding generations as the great
anniversary festival. 1t ought to be COM
memorated as the day of deliverance, by
solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty
1t ought to be solemnized with pomp. ana
parade, with shows. games sports. bells
bonfires and illuminations. from one end
of this continent to the other, from TINS
time forward forever more. At both enos
of the social scale there are many native
born Americans who never celebrate indie
pendence day, and some of them laugh at
those who do. Fortunately. the lapse OF
100 years has not blunted the edge OIL
Adams advice to most of us. we reel
that we cannot view Independence day with
indifference. We owe 1t to ourselves as
we'll as to our country to Keep fresh tne
memory of the mighty past, to recall
gratefully the deeds of the fathers and the
providence of God. and to take for the
future the wisdom and inspiration of our
history.
Prone as we are to seifishness, threat
ened as we are by class materialsm, de-
structive to all our higher interests, we
need everything which will remind US OF
the ideals of patriotism ana hit US ABOVE
mere money-making and pleasure-seeking.
The man or the people converting holy Gays
into holidays, violates a spiritual law.
whose penalty Is death Sentiment rules all
men everywhere. the only question Is what
kind of sentiment is to rule In any partlcu-
lar case We are responsible for ourselves
and for our country to see that the senti-
ment governing US is the highest and not
the lowest. The sentiment of patriotism is
the most practical of facts, for 1t Is what
holds us together and makes progress pos
sfble Take 1t away and you take away
the money value of every bit OF property,
and throw society into confusion and bank
ruptcy. Nor can we depend upon lntre-
auent wars (and may they grow more IN
frequent till all differences are settled by
international tusticel to maintain the sem
tirnent of patriotism. Peace is our normal
condition, and even though wars come. most
Of us will know nothing but peace. To
ignore our national birthday. to refuse or
neglect to remind one another of what we
owe for all we have and of the higher duty
beyond our personal tasks to preserve what
we as a people have received. and transmit
It, improved if possible. to our successors.
is to break the continuity of our national
life and reduce ourselves to the state of
the animals. which have no thought of past
or future or of anything better than the
work and play of the day. 1t Is law OF
our nature that what We do not express we
lose. If l never say to myself and my
neighbors, in tones of affection, This is my
own my native land. gradually that
thought will die out. And 1t is SO of every
other idea.
I'm every country there are many who
take everything that has been bought for
them by the blood and treasure. the toll
and sacrifice of others, and give nothing in
return. They boast themselves as practi-
cal men. who receive but do not give. They
are opposed to Fourth of July celebrations
as a waste of time. Being under the con-
troll of lower sentiment. they can see no
reason for the expression of higher sentf-
ment. They would probably admit that IL
all their fellow-citizens took the same
course, the things they value most would
soon have no value, and that Fourth of July
might be abolished in the death of the ma
ton. But they presume. of course. upon
the fact that their fellow-citizens will go
on In the old way which moved
George Washington and John Adams and
Benjamin Franklin and other sentimental
persons to abandon comfortable security
give up the routine Of money-making and
money-spending. disregard the practical adj
vice of the tories, and hazard their honor
fortunes and lives In the terrible struggle
for the sentiment of freedom.
The Spirit Of Patriotism.
Because the sentiment of patriotism still
rules in many hearts. because. out of the