The Colorado statesman., 1909-07-03

her enforced battle cry of freedom.
Again children rally round the flag"
to uplift their childish voices in its
praise and honor; to sing songs of
triumph and rejoicing over the ma
tion's victory
once again, as of yore, loud peal the
bells-ringing out the glad news that
it is the anniversary of the nations
birth; commemorating the magnificent
achievements of those early noble
patriots on that first, glorious Fourth
day of July. Statesmen and orators
are called upon to exercise their high
est powers of eloquence in order3to re-
impress upon the hearts and minds of
citizens now enjoying the rights and
duties conferred upon them by an in
dependent form of government to up-
hold those lofty ideals, and to defend
those basic principles of unity and
fraternity, of political independence
and freedom from arbitrary rule and
despotism for which brave men will
ingly laid down their lives, that the
country which they loved and for
which they fought might as a nation
live.
The Declaration of independence was
received with every demonstration of
public rejoicing. We are told that it
was read in public from the platform
of an observatory in the rear of the
statehouse. On the same day brill
liant fete was given in honor of the
nations birth on board the frigate
Washington in the Delaware, the fes-
tivities terminating with a ball in the
evening. The declaration was read at
the head of each brigade of the Conti-
mental army stationed at New York,
and received with joyful huzzas. Again
on the tenth day of July, the declara-
tion was read in the courthouse at
White Plains by order of the conven-
tion then in session. The kings coat
of arms was brought from the hall
where his courts were held and burned
amid the acclamations of the multi
tude.
Thus we find that whatever form
these public demonstrations of rejoic-
ing over the nations birth might take,
they were always preceded by a care
full exposition of the cause for that re-
joicing. The celebration of Independ-
ence day, in those early times, was the
exultant overflow of emotion due to
the intelligence, clearly and pointedly
conveyed to the popular mind, of the
resolute resistance of the country's
leaders to tyranny that should make
America free.
Given a true conception of the
causes, the principles and Influences
that should be re-examined and con-
t-mplated on every recurring July 4,
the American people would impart a
meaning and dignity to their festivi.
ties on the holiday of national holidays
such as would preclude an indulgence
in mere senseless, nerve-racking,
noisy demonstrations; without thought
of the "why?" or "wherefore?" of the
occasion. Too many of our youth, not
withstanding the lessons of American
history learned at school, are apt to
forget the real significance of the ma
tons birthday when they deem it
sufficient to vent what they are
pleased to call their patriotism" in
deafening horn-blasts and in the free
and careless use of reeking explosives
and dangerous firearms.
Nor is the great mass of our foreign
population which is ultimately to be
consolidated into the American nation
properly informed respecting the an
tecedent forces of the eounf " to
which they have come for refuge and
for freedom; so that 1t sight of our