The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-05
INDEPENDENCE DAY.

| Wherever the stars and stripes of
the United States are flung to the
breeze today, and the sun never sets on
them now, there is being held fitting
celebration of some sort in honor OF
| the greatest date in American history,
Independence day. 1t was on the
Fourth of July, not longer than one
hundred and thirty-three years ago,
that that body of patriots who repre-
scented the thirteen English colonies
in America in their congress, took
the great step towards throwing or
the yoke of England, by penning and
issuing to the world the famous De-
cIaration of independence, which
concluded with these stirring words:
I'VE therefore, the representatives
of the United States of America, in
general congress assembled, appealing
to the Supreme Judge of the World
for the rectitude of our intentions,
do, in the name and by the authority
of the good people of these colonies,
solemnly publish and declare, That
these United Colonies are, and of
right ought to be, free and indepen-
dent states; that they are absolved
from all allegiance to the British
crown, and that all political connec-
Great Britain is, and ought to be, to-
tally dissolved; and that. as free and
independent states, they have full
power to levy war. conclude peace,
contract alliances, establish COM
merce, and to do all other acts and
things which Independent States may
of right do. And for the support of
this Declaration, with a firm reliance
on the protection of Divine Provi-
dence, we mutually pledge to each
other, our lives, our fortunes, and our
sacred honor"
These were brave words to fling
in the teeth of such a mighty SOW
ereign as England but they were
backed by Drawer hearts as the glor-
ious results of the War of the Rebel
lion so e1oquentIy testified. And the
nation that this Declaration of INDIE
pendence started in the making is a
wonderful one. The tones of history
can be searched without finding it's
equal. The accomplishments in this
land, its growth and development dur
ing the past century and a quarter
have been simply marvellous. A story
of them reads like the fascinating
tales of fairies. But the best of it is
that the future of the United States
promises greater and better things
than have been brought about in its
past. There are undoubtedly many
causes for complaint these days on the
part of various classes of people at the
way certain thing are taking in the
land. There is optimism enough, how
ever, in the mind of everyone, to be-
Heve that all of the complex tangles
of society, in business, in politics and
in every activity of life. will work
themselves out to just and satisfactory
conclusions in time, and at no very dis
tant period, either. But even with such
vexatious things as exist today, the
United States is the best country and
nation on the face of the earth The
opportunities it affords its people are
without limit. That they will take bet
ter advantage of them is almost a fore
gore conclusion. Today's national
greatness will be o'ershadowed only -
the greater greatness of tomorrow.
And it is well that on the Fourth of
July each year there is universal COM
memoration among Americans of the
act of the men who, on July 4, 1875,
signed their names to the famous pro-
nunciamento which was responsible for
starting the United States on its way
to the magnificent position it now &C.
cupies.