The San Francisco call., 1909-01-10
NATIONAL RELIC
MAY BE SEEN
HERE IN APRIL
Million Club Asks Philadelphia
for Loan of Liberty Bell
for Celebration
Symbol of independence DecIa-
ration Wanted for "Three
Years After" Festivities
Press of Quaker City Supports
Proposal and Other Aid
Is Invoked

That the Liberty Bell, that concrete
reminder Of the slogan of our fore
fathers, in whose venerable bosom still
fingers the deep note which proclaimed
the nations birth. viii be brought for
the first time to the Pacific coast is
almost assured.
The Million club OF San Francisco
has Joined with Seattle and Portland
in the request TO the mayor and coun-
eli OF Philadelphia for their permis-
sion 10 bring the bell TO this great
empire by the western ocean so that
the precious heirloom may be seen and
the spirit which it symbolizes absorbed
by the people.
Los Angeles. San Diego. Sacramento
and other cities VIII be asked to join
I'm the request for the bell, and the Nil
lion club OF san Francisco has writ
ten to the mayor and supervisors OF
this city, well as the civic and com
mercial bodies. urging them TO do all
in their power to bring the bell here.
The aid Of California's representatives
in congress viii also be invoked, and
every other possible means viii he
employed to obtain the loan of the
historic relic.
GUARD OF HONOR as ESCORT
When the permission is secured a
guard Of honor VIII be sent to Phila-
delphia 10 escort the bell in a special
train across the continent and wher-
ever IL stays in its triumphal progress
tens OF thousands of children will
cover il with flowers and sing patriotic
songs In cOmmemOration Of its visit
II II is possible TO get the bell here
by April is there viii be new inspira-
ion for the celebration OF the Three
Years After" day. The people will be
imbued with fresh courage by the re-
minder Of the spirit which filed their
fathers when the bell pealed out over
the state house in Philadelphia and
proclaimed the signing Of the decIara-
tion Of independence.
The Million club has written to the
board OF education asking that the
school children be given instruction in
the history OF the bell and its signif1-
cance as national relic. Its presence
here viii inspire these children with
patriotism and VIII be an event in
their lives never TO be forgotten.
PRESS SUPPORTS PROPOSAL
The press OF Philadelphia has ex-
pressed itself as strongly in favor OF
allowing the bell TO come here
The North American, in an editorial
speaks as follows Of the triumphal
progress OF the relic across the CONT
nent:
We can conceive Of no more inspir.
ing lesson in patriotism than would b.
provided by that jealously guarded
journey Of the bell across the cont
nent. Past the prairies where no whit,
man had faced the Indians when iti
last peal had sounded; past the splen
did fertile states that once were -th,
great American desert: over tn,
Rockies, then unknown, and over tn,
Sierras, which only the Spanish ad
venturers had seen. let the bell travel
guarded in honor, 10 the lands 70
which our fathers once were ready [,
fight the strongest power on earth owe
2 disputed degree OF latitude.
Let those new generations of stron;
Americans see for once the sacrs,
thing which 10 them is but a name
Among tens Of thousands a reverence
VIII be inspired and sentiment in
culcated more deep than we OF tn
east can conceive
The fostering Of that spirit is
need of the nation now. Purely senti