Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-07-05
THE FIRST FOURTH
IN THE PHILIPPINES.

ION the Fourth of July. 1899" writes q
soldier who was with General Otis in Ma
Mia on that day, 1.-The main part OF the
American troops were away In the interior
OF tho Philippines, strung out on LONG lines
In front OF an active enemy. All oar out
posts were close to tho native camps. Not
only the men on post and In actual touch
with the enemy, but the reserves AZ well.
We're under strict orders to be ready at q
minutes notice to meet an attack. Fourth
or no Fourth. These orders were obeyed.
BY the way, up in San Fernando General
Young's men were treated to a Fourth OF
July salute from across tho lines. h
F1lipinos opened "A fusillade about sun
down and outclassed all the fire cracker
tiends OF Manila In getting up "a celebra-
ton racket.
However, all over tho islands, even in
the isolated districts covered by our troops
in the ViscayaS-that Is, In Cebu, Negroes
and Panay, where the garrisons were but
handfuls in comparison to the natives un-
der arms or prepared for wur-the holiday
was %fornally observed.
when the day was officially ushered
In by tho bugle notes OF tho army reveille
the regimental bands along the miles and
miles of camps. a perfect girdle across
L4uzon and the Niscayas. played The Star
S%pangled Banner At noon, when the
guns of the Sixth artillery numbered the
national salute on the Luneta at Manila
| anu III WdTSnlIS III tHe udTDOT duu AAOu6
the coast echoed in response. the field bat
terics of the army all over Luzon Swelled
the salvos: so, too. in Negroes and Panay
and in tho robber infested mountains OF
Cebu. And to make the soldiers on routine
duty feel that they We're chill
dren as we'll as her bodyguard every man
had an extra good dinner. served with the
best delicacies the camp and the available
markets afforded.
The Escolta, which might be called tho
broadway of Manila. although 1t Is a very
narrow street In point OF fact, was alive
with bunting. Every flag that had q
mission in the Philippines was in
evidence along the Escolta-Old Glory
bunting. Every flag had a mission In the
here. there and everywhere. the
union jack ditto. then the red.
white and black standard OF the German
fatherland, alternating with and peacefully
caressing the tricolor Of La Belle France:
SPANS flag was in the display and waved
as proudly as ever. There were flags. too.
of the yollows and flags of the blacks-all
flags but Aguinaldo's. But II A~guinakdo's
standard was missed by any one on the
Escolta that day the disappointed indi-
vidual didn't let his neighbor know It.
The Luneta was the scene of the real
show. The Luneta of Manila is a crescent
shaped plaza overlooking the beach. There
the bands play for th, populace. and there
all the parades and public demonstrations
are Hclu. ~ WuS CIOWoed ~ u SouAeIy
fair ground on prize day.
ON the Luneta were held the formal
exercises, without which no Fourth OF
July celebration Is complete. School boys
in holiday attire gathered around the band
stand made the most picturesque feature
of the scene. There was a swarm Of them
in clothes of variegated hues-Filipinos
and Japs and Chinese. trained to sing
patriotic songs In English.
AT first the school children were timid.
/ like average American children unused to
:, appearing in public. They began Will
, America then struggled through Hail
. Columbia and The Red, White and Blue
i The band played popular airs between the
/ songs. Finally, when the enthusiasm was
s verging on the bursting point. the little
Z ones gave their masterpiece. The Star
b Spangled Banner Some of the I'M
. promptu choruses at home would have
= been put to the blush by that performance
on the Luneta. The soldiers cheered as
only soldiers can when 1900 of them let
their lungs loose; flags waved all over the
: plaza, and even old ocean became patriotic
s and dashed the beach with great waves
like some monster eagle Tapping his
wings in a frenzy Of delight. This was the
X climax. After that Uncle Sans celebra-
@ ton dominated Manila. The transplanted
4 holiday was a 'gO.''