Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-07-04

wYaHICH ia our national anthem7 The
Az .uestion has been agitating people
@'%@ Tor years, though there has been less
agits ton than uncertainty. Opinion was
nearly equally divided between The Star
sDAngled Banner" and My Country, It's
OF thee" But about year ago the
secretary Of the navy decTeed that the
stirring tune associated with Francis
Scott Keys poem should be played as our
RAtjonal air by naval bands. The army
bad recognized 1t as such long befose, and
o. the dirgeIike melody to which Rev.
Samuel B. Smith fitted some doggerel
g9Fses ought to be left to British banda
Yhe tune Of America" stately enough
10 be beloved Of Beethoven and Weber,
ID really that Of God Save the King"
e. was probably composed, and the orig
6nal words written, by Henry Carey, who
also produced that other lyric gem,
@'saIIy In Our Alley" Some believe the
tune to be OF Scotch or French origin,
bat 1t belongs to England by right Of
sUpeIation for patriotic purposes, quite
ABIDE from the fact that Dr.. John Bull,
another composer Of the 18th century,
was long supposed to be the author.
Others, with cogent proof have credited
fl to Lully, and say 1t was composed In
aSnor of Louis XIV. It was first per
formed In England In 1740, and has since
been annexed for patriotic songs by
France. Denmark, Russia, Germany ard
Austria In Paris 1t was ''Sauyez lie roll
in London It is "God Save the King" in
Berlin It is Hell dir i'm siegerkranz;" in
Vienna 1t Is 90 du mein Oesterreich." 1t
was used for the Russian national hymn
until a Car became weary OF listening to
an imported or stolen tune, and ordered
ts dlsContinuance
BamueI Francis Smith was the young
pastor Of a Baptist church at AndoVer'
Mass. In the winter Of 1881 80, when he
wrote the words of America" in half an
hour. having found the air In a German
song book The song was sung In public
for the FIRST time on July 4, 1882, by the
Bunday school children in Park Street
church, Boston Edward Everett Hale
has told the story OF how he was walk
ing along Park street, a boy Of 10, and
went with the crowd into the old church
on that Fourth Of July, where he heard
the song sung for the first time. 1t be
came immensely popular during the Civil
War, and will probably dispute preemi-
nenCe among our national airs for good
while with THE Star Spangled Banner"
which by its stirring music and poetic
words should and will be recognized as
sur patriotic song par excellence
Below P.r a. Poetry.
The Rev Mr. Smith, who was a class
mste OF Oliver Wendell Holmes at Har-
ward has written many better poems
than America" and few as bad. That
One missionary hymn, The morning
light is breaking" came from his pen. 1t
reflects more credit upon that implement
than America" the words Of which are
and often meaningless Most
OF the verses consist of rciterations OF the
statement that the s.u-rr is S.uIi'.;.
which may he necessary Is cstuo.i;l IAe
fact but cannot be considered as either
fuportant or lnspirIrg. Has any one in
singing the words ever pictured to him
self how music could swell the breeze"
or how rocks could their silence break"T
or what are "all that breathe" to par
take" how or what does freedom ring"
and what is meant by like that above"
which sounds like q cIause from the speci-
hS"'lons LOT oui'ul"s oar" mere are
Etanzas that can be regarded as poetry
and many cannot even De regarded us
'euS'' m0'e''s' INC
$50. W." U.s., +so
shot, d,sconroc+oJ co,ooction tho general
tone Of trashy conn- meeting bvmn.
"AmarIca" Is GRADUALLY hetng annraisad
AZ Its true worth so noragranh shows
which snpaarad In tba Rookmon macnzine
during the SDanisb American war I'VE
axe glad 70 note" said the writer sneak
ing of nstriotIc music in +beatprs. that
The Star-SpanrIed Banner. Is ALWAYS Sc
lected as the niece 10 resistance and that
q lS ALWAYS acca,,+aa oS suob NV tho oudi-