Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-08


deeper significance of the day and al! it
means to us as city. as State, and as
a nation So many blessings are confer
red upon us by our FREQ institutions and
by our republican form OF government
that We should be moved "a do some
thing expressive of our gratitude. It de-
ponds upon us. as Individual citizens,
what manner of government We have
and what future generations shall he.
AS we do and build now. so shall We Re
great and noble. as people. In the age.
to corAe Let us, then, to-day think what
cur fag means. what our fathers have
done for us. and let us be determined 70
do even more for the America Of the
future.
The song. "Champlain," given by the
children. followed Governors Proutv's
address, Mayor Burke .hen presented
Bishop HALL who said:
We must be ever careful and on our
guard against the tendency to over en-
phasize national lines and demarcation.
1t Is not we'll to stress too heavily the
fact OF our AngIo-Snxon ancestry. We
are gathered TO celebrate the discovery
of Lake Champaign by n Frenchman.
His name has remained and come down
to us unchanged; 1t would not be anlss,
indeed. il many more Of the beautiful
and poetic names given by tho French
men had remained to this day. How
much more pleasing lie Leon Couch
ant" then "Camcl's Hump" French
men may. therefore. claim a large part
in the celebration Men ought not, to-
day. to be tagged with the names Of
their grandfathers and their Ereat-grand-
fathers. The important fact for us to
consider now liz. not where we original
~ came from. but whether we are being
blended In one homoseneou. America n
PEOPLE. We should not look back to the
sires of three hundred years ago for race
and name. We are not Anglo Americans.
and Franco-Americsns. and Irish Ameri-
Cans-we are all Americans We must
not underestimate the contribution o.
any one people to the composite whole
which we now are. for the best ~ each
blood has been taken and mingled IN n
finer strain. The vivacity of the French
man. the strensth Of tho Engiishman.
;he solid!ty o, the Dutchman. and the IN
tangible but wonderful. qualities Of tho
Irishman have all gone to make the
present American.
On our Independence day we rejoice IN
freedom. But that freedom does not
mean the license to DO =. we please IL
Ia rather the privilege Of doing the bo-,
that is in us. Tint is the rcal s.rnih-
canoe Of Independence for us; and this Is
true for all parts Of our countrv-ever
| the fartherest. And this appll~. directly
to tho Philippines. We have no right &c
/ retain dominion over the island. day
after they attained their political ma jor.
ity. Tho imposition Of an external au.
tho1ty. over any people. Is not right
Moreover. II Is directly against the prin
ciples which we fought for IN our owl
war for independence. The Philippine,
should be free 10 work out their dest!n
les IN their own way.
Mayor Burke. after bishop Hall hat
finished. spoke Of the ola home weel
features Of the celebration. In that man,
old residents Of the city had returned
Apropos Of this he presented the Rev
DR.. Atkins. who SAID
There is a disposition, on the rnrt o
many. to minimize the Importance o
Chanplan's discovery. They say tina
anyone could discover a thing as big a
Lake Chanpla!n. This Is not Just. 70
a right start was implied in the fact o
DISCOVERY Samuel a. Champlaln coul
not nave ach'eNe' "hat he did had h
MOI peeh possessed or the qualities o
courage ana perseverance,. Foresight Is
"poNe al, important
lhoepehoence Gay above all the rest o
.he 'eIepraton' demands youthful
near TOT us enjoyment; We cannot VI
oerstano ara appreciate It without. Fo
.ho'e VINO sre older and realize NOR
lui'y inc great responsibilities Of free
noh shhoo" of sadness Is cast owe
'he Gay ~ u much easier to be no
or s'r. ana nav" the ahairs or Ire oc
u,ueu ior one 'hhn 10 40 II for ohese,