The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-05

1 The original possassors of this soi! | are brought very yividly rcfore our | minds, both by the fact that the Or l der of Redmen ;uaugura.ed this ceie- | bration and by the very striking re- | minders of the aborigines that we see upon our streets today. I. occurs to me that if this is 0 correct represen- | tation of the Indians that roamed over this domain and they were all as blythe of spirit as their representatives $ appear today, the sympathy so of- ten expressed over the poor Indian is very greatly misplaced.
 It has been said by the cynically disposed that our New England an- cestors had such a hlend of religion and of thrift that upon their arrival
 they first fell upon their knees and then upon the aborisiues.
 A closer and more unbiased study of their conduct, privations, their
 general sense of justice, and their
 deep aspirations for the uplift of
 humanity, lead us 10 the view that we
 may we'll be proud of those bands Of
 colonists who penetrated the wilder
 ness with it's lurking dangers to estab-
 fish these homes, that mean. for them
 freedom from oppression and secured
 for US the pricesless blessings of civil
 and religious liberty.
 1Ic QOCSIlO1 IIdS UGGI dShCu dS lO
 the significance of this celebration. If
 it only served as a jolly assembling
 together of the members of this fra
 ternal order for the purposes of pa
 rade and tinsel effect, it would be a
 failure in the minds of thinking peo-
 pie. It has a much deeper meaning
 for you have properly SUIT Ounded your
 program with the coloring that at-
 taches to Old Home Week celebrations, that are being revived these days in
 so many places, and you have given even greater prominence to Stratford's 'enviable past and her future plans of development than to the anniver- sary that you are likewise celebrating of the establishment of your lodge in
 this Town five years ago.
 These gatherings of the people of the old Connecticut towns and the hospitality that is extended to their occasional visitors is most desirable, point of view.
 We are today living in a materialfs- tic era in which, unfortunately senti- ment is ruthlessly pushed into the background.
 In the fierce pursuit of money or for individual advantage men rudely jostle each other in the ceaseless strife of mems brain and mems brawn..
 These old town gatherings of neigh bors, friends and visitors, act as a sedative to the feverish pursuit Of gain, and instinctively upon these oc- casions we pause to receive those wholesome impressions that come to US in commemorating the good deeds and sterling New England character that have been the foundation of this and other Connecticut communities.
 Our visitors will appreciate the pe- culiar love we bear the old town when they consider that almost every rustl- ing leaf upon the trees that shade our village streets, whispers of some tra- dition, some change in the ties Of families that have marked our civic life as the old mother town has peace fully rounded the centuries and p1ac- ed the hoary years behind her.
 We indulge no maudlin sentiment in thus doing reverence to the past, though in all the affairs of life our faces are towards the future.
 It is these considerations of the day that prompt me to say that we are under a debt of gratitude to this fraternal organization for giving such prominence to Town concerns, and making it's history, it's traditions and it's future aspirations so essential a part of it's own celebration.
 To our visitors we give the free dom of the town'' whatever that means in orthodox circles.
 It was anciently regarded as cloth ing the recipient with immunity from arrest or even criticism while within the magic space of the hospitality af- forded.
 Whether our trial justice will eoun- tenance anything that threatens to impinge upon any of the ten com- mandments remains yet to be seen.
 At least we wish you to carry away with you pleasant impressions of Stratford town and enduring reco1- %oJi Nfi pie. an occasion of this kind, it is neces- sary to it's success that it should be under the management of those hav- ing a high order of executive ability.
 Stratford is exceptionally fortunate in having identified with her com | munity life, young men of that type, who have reflected credit upon the town and who as they come to as- sume the places of responsibility that | are vacated by their elders, give prom l ise that the same high plane of con- duct in the government of the town will be maintained.
 We are undergoing a subtle change | in the view point of the fathers of this | Republic. The great influx of those | who come from foreign shores is rend- l ering us less homogeneous as a peo- | pie. It is silently changing the char l acter Of our observance of our great l national holidays and in some de- gree our standards of political con- duct. We would not stem that tide 1 but we would turn it in the direc- | tion that will make for the best and | highest order of citizenship, and that | is more surely secured by impressing | upon those who would make their | home among us, that love of the flag and true spirit of veneration for | the history of our Republic with her beginnings in New England, are in- woven together.
 On these and all similar occasions, |