The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-22
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certain of it's suficiency we would
gladly accept 1T as conclusive. 1t
has to do with the underlying quail
ties and motives of our free institu-
tiols. Those institutions had their
birth and nurture in unselfish patriot
ism and unreserved conservation; and
by a degree of Fate beyond recall or
change their perpetuity and benefi-
cence are conditioned on the constant
devotion and single hearted loyalty
of those to whom their blessings are
vouchsafed.
But after all why should we attempt
to delude ourselves? I am confident
that l voice your convictions when
/ say that no play of ingenuity and
10 amount of special pleading can
frame an absolutely creditable excuse
for our remissness in appropriate ho1i
day observance
The commemoration of the day on
which American independence was
born, has been allowed to lose much
of it's significance as a reminder of
Providential favor and the infiexible
patriotism of the fathers of the Repub
lie, and has nearly degelerated to a
revel of senseless noise and danger
ous explosion leaving in it's train far
more of mishap and accident, than
lessons of good citizenship or pride
of Country. The observance of
Thanksgiving Day is kept alive thru
it's annual designation by Federal and
State authority. But it is worth our
while to inquire whether it's original
meaning, as a day of united praise and
gratitude to God for the blessings
bestowed upon us as a people and as
individuals, it not smothered il feast
ing and social indulgence We in com
mon with Christian nations every
where, celebrate Christmas-but how
much less as day of commemorating
the birth of the Redeemer of mankind
than as a day of hilarity and the in
terchange of gifts.
1 will not without decided protest
be accused of antagonizi1g rdepdec
ating light hearted mirth and jollity.
On the contrary | am an earnest ad-
vocate of every kind of sane, decent
social enjoyment, and all sorts of re
creations. But nevertheless 1 feel
that the allowance of an incongruous
possession by them of our commemo-
rative days is evidence of a certain
condition, and is systematic of a pop
ular tendency which are by no means
reassrring.
On this day the Union League Club
of Chicago should especially rejoice
in the consciousness of patriotic ac-
compartment; and on this day of all
others, every one of it's members
should regard his membership as a
badge of honor. Whatever else the
organization may have done, it has
justified its existence and earned the
applause of those whose love of coun-
try is still unclouded by the work it
has done for the deliverance of Wash
ington's birthday from neglect or in
dolent remembrance.
n furtherance of the high endea-
vor of your organization, it would
have been impossible to select for
observance any other civic holiday
having as broad and fitting a signif1-
canoe as this. 1t memories the birth
of one whose glorious deeds are tran
scendently above all others recorded
in our national annals; and in memo
rizing the birth of Washington it com
memorates the incarnation of all the
virtues and all the ideals that made
our nationality possible and gave it
promise of growth and strength. It
is holiday that belongs exclusively
to the American people. All that Wash
ington did was bound up in our IA
tioaal destiny The battles he fought
for American liberty, and the victor
les he won gave us national indepen-
dence. His example of unselfish con-
secration and lofty patriotism made
manifest as in an open book that
those virtues were conditions not
more vital to our nations beginning
than to its development and durab bill
ty. His faith in God, and the forti-
tude of his faith taught those for
whom he wrought, that the surest
strength of nations comes from the
support of Gods almighty arm. His
universal and unaffected sympathy