Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-06-29
Chopin in 81. Loui. Star.
THE FIRST FOURTH
III THE PHILIPPINES.

"On the Fourth of July, 1884, writes 6
soldier who was with General Otis in Ma
Mia OH hat day, 1.-The main part Of the
American troops were away in the interior
of the Philippines. strung out on long lines
in front of an active enemy. All our out
posts We're close to the native camps. Not
only the men OH post and in actual touch
with til" enemy, but the reserves as we'll,
We're under strict orders to be ready at q
minutes notice to meet an attack, Fourth
or no Fourth. These orders were obeyed.
by the way, up in San Fernando General
Young'S men were treated to a Fourth OF
July salute from across the lines. Tho
F1lipinos opened a fusillade about sun
down and outclassed all the fire cracker
fiends of Manila in getting up a ce.cbra-
ton acket
However, all over the islands, even In
the isolated districts covered by our troops
in the V~iscayas-that is, in Cebu, Negroes
and Panay, where the garrisons We're but
handfuls In comparison to the natives UNI
der arms or prepared for war-the holiday
was formally observed.
When the day was officially ushered
In by the bugle notes of the army reveille
the regimental bands along the miles and
miles OF camps. a perfect girdle across
Luzon and the V%iscayas, played The Star
Spangled Banner. AT noon. when the
5N'o VI ic SIALu dTUllleTy luuIucISu sIio
national salute on the Luneta at Manila
and the warships in the harbor and along
the coast echoed in response, the field bat
teries OF the army all over Luzon sweiled
the %salvos; so. too, in Negroes and Panay
and IN the robber infested mountains of
Cebu. And to make the soldiers on routine
duty feel that they were Columbia's chill
dren as well as her bodyguard every man
had an extra good inner served with the
best delicacies the camp and the available
markets afforded.
The Escolta, which might be called the
broadway of Manila. although 1t is a very
narrow street in point of fact, was alive
mission In the Philippines was i'm
evidence along the Escolta-Old Glory
bunting. Every flag had a mission in the
mere, there and everywhere, the
union Jack ditto, then the red,
white and black standard of the German
1atherland. alternating with andpeacefully
J caresstng the trfcolor of La Belle France;
spain's flag was in the display and waved
as proudly as ever. There were flags, too,
Of the FOLLOWS and flags of the blacks-all
rags but Aguinaldo's. But II Aguinaldo's
Standard. was missed by any one on the
Escolta that day the disappointed indi-
Vidnai didn't let his neighbor know 1t.
Ihe Luneta was the scene Of the real
show. The Luneta of Manila Is a crescent
SNAPPED plaza overlooking the beach. There
me bands play for the populace, and there
all the parades and public demonstrations
are held. 1t was crowded like a country
rair ground IN prize day.
On the Luneta were held the formal
exercises. without which no Fourth of
July celebration is complete. School boys
IN holiday attire gathered around the band
stand made the most picturesque feature
Of the scene. There was a swarm Of them
IN clothes Of variegated hues-Ftipinos
n Japs and Chinese. trained to sing
patriotic songs in English.
At hrst the school children were timid,
IKE average American children unused to
appearing in public. They began with
America then struggled through Hail
Columbia and The Red. White and Blue
~ band played popular airs between the
songs. Finally, when the enthusiasm was
verging ON the bursting point, the little
ones rave their masterpiece. THE Star
Spangled Banner Some OF the Inn
promptu achoruses at home would have
been put to the blush by that performance
on the Luneta. The soldiers cheered as
only soldiers can when 1000 OF them let
their lungs loose: lags waved all over the
p9axas ana even old Ocean became patriotic
q lashed the beach with great waves
l.ess nome monster eagle Mapping his
wines " = frenzy o. delight. This was the
climax. After that Uncle Sans celAbra-
~ &AA -