The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-06
CITY OBSERVES
FOURTH" WITH
Din AND COLOR
Day Starts With Boom of Big
Guns and Ends With
Soaring Rockets
Patriotic Speeches Heard by
Ten Thousand Children in
Golden Gate Park

boom OF Dig guns speeches puHCIu-
sted by the rattle and crsckle Of FIRE
crackers, and, over all from one end
of the city TO the other. from hill and
housetop. from the humble home in
the valley to the mansion on the
heights. the huttering of the country's
flag were the outward tokens yes
terday marking the celebration in San
Francisco Of the one hundred and
thirty-third anniversary of Independ-
ence day.
The first celebration was the raising
Of the hagpole on Telegraph hill by
the women of the Outdoor Art league.
From that time on till late at night
The celebrations were kept alive. While
the crowd on Telegraph hill was cele-
brsting in that part of the city the
cannon at the Preside, manned by
four companies OF the California ma
tionaI guard. began 10 crash out in
brazen chorus From over the waters
OF the bay there came an echo of
the refrain, as the naval reserve gun
boat Alert fired its salute. And in
the stadium in Golden Gate park TO-
GOO voices lifted themselves in cheer
upon cheer as old glory waved in the
hands OF the little children and the
Old songs OF patriotism were heard.
WHOLE DAY Is FULL
The afternoon was as replete with
events as the morning. There were
athletic exercises in the stadium, the
Ketchel- Pspke fight in the Mission
street arena. baseball at Recreation
park. and later still, the return of
mis-
Obispo and a moonlight picnic in Glen
park.
The main feature of the day was
the Official celebration at the stadium,
presided over by Mayor Taylor. and
at which the orator OF the day was
Walter Macarthur.
The festivities or the day said
Macarthur. ARE designed to commem-
crate the establishment Of a free and
independent nation, TO honor those
names which are inseparabie from the
history Of that event, and 10 revivify
The consciousness Of the great prin-
ciples involved in the struggle be-
tween the American colonists and the
British government
1T is entirely right that upon this
occasion the American people should
bark back TO the early struggles of
the nation, that they should review
the incidents Of nationaI growth and
proclaim their pride in the achieve
ments Of the past. Every American
who feels his heart leap at the sight
OF the flag, whose sinews tighten as
he hears the recital of the deeds Of
Valor on field and forum, whose eyes
moisten as he listens to the songs Of
home and country-he who experiences
these emotions is a better man and
a better citizen, by reason thereof.
even although only his physical senses
have been appealed to.
FLOUTING THE ~FOURTH"
notwithstanding the Importance OF
The fourth of July, regarded from
every point Of view, IL has become
the fashion in some quarters to iout
the celebration as merely a display
Of local or personal vanity or. at the
best. as a survival or d custom the
practical meaning OF which is lost
TO the present generation. This at
titude may be explained upon either
OF two grOunds-by the failure Of the
speakers and writers to apply the
moral OF history TO present day affairs.
or by the failure o. the people to
realize that the self-evident truths of
The revolutionary period are equally
the truths of today and Of all time.
The outlook Of the fourth of July
should be upon the present and flu
ture, rather than upon the past. The
lFESOuc III l1AcLOlt NdAudDAe Only III
proportion as they may be applied TO
present conditions. Thus regarded this
celebration acquires a practical value
that increases constantly with the
passing Of time. At no period in the
life OF the nation has this value been
as great, potentially. as at present
IN no period has there been a greater
no period have these institutions been
so greatly endangered. At no period
has the need Of patriotism been
greater. since al no period have the
public enemies been so active and
powerful
The self-evident truths set forth
in the declaration of independence
were denounced by the enemies of hu-
man progress as so many glitterine
Eeaeralities. But these truths tri-
umphed.
PATRIOTISM Is NEEDED
Throughout the years that have
passed since the Inauguration of the
worlds greatest experiment in popu.
lar government il has become more
and more imperative upon the Ameri-
can people to demonstrate by their
own actions-not merely by their rev
erence for tradition-tne soundness OF
the principles upon which our instf.
buttons are founded, to prove in prac-
teal conduct OF affairs whether the
establishment and maintenance of pop.
ulsr government in the United States
is due TO the inherent truth Of human
equality, or, as has been asserted b,
certain observers, 10 the physical ad.
vantages OF a seemingly inexhaustibl,
domain.
To-day, as much at any time in gu
history, we are engaged in a great wa
TO test whether a nation conceived il
liberty and dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal can lon,
endure. The immortal words of Abra
ham Lincoln are as applicable in tn
circumstances of the present as in thos
Of the civil war. The need Of patriotism
is as great today as at any period ii
the past. The patriotism of peace 4
certainly no less honorable than tina
OF war. and maybe much more effectiv
on producing lasting results. In honor
ing the nations heroes we honor our
selves
REVITABIZE TRUTHS
In recalling the truths upon whicl
the nation is founded we revitaiiz
them. In rededicsting ourselves to tn
service OF these truths we perform
duty devolving upon US by reason o
our heritage Of liberty. In proportion
a. we discharge that duty faithfully w
rvove ourselves worthy the blessings n