Palisadian., 1915-07-10
independence Day
At PaIisade
(Continued from page u

adopted the idea, until this year an
appeal was sent to every state in
the union, asking them to hold a gen
eral celebration instead Of the old and
dangerous kind with powder, guns
etc, at all hours and all places, fol
lowed by the appalling number of in
juries and deaths. But in the inn
provement in our manner of celebra-
ting the 4th of July, let us not allow
our children to grow up without a
sense of the significance of lndepen-
dence Day. Tell them of the men who
bled and died to make our country,
and that the making of it was worth
the blood and the life Teach them
to love its history and its traditions;
to give to their country patriots
heart and happiness. Let them re-
member that they owe to their coun-
try one kindly, helpful, tolerant, hon
est, happy law-abiding human being!
The new patriotism is a patriotism
of peace! 1t is social, where the old
was political, in its humanitarian,
where the old was merely naturalistic,
1t is a new spirit Of kinship of the
human race, a new sense of economic
and social justice. 1t is struggling
to free American life from sordid
commercial standardS-to place the
welfare of men, women and children
higher than nanimate things; to rid
cities of ugliness and unhealthy con-
ditions; to build our common life
clean and strong, to grace it with all
the fruits Of our national genius.
To have the new patriotism is the
distinguishing mark of citizenship IN
the world today.
This year when most of the great
countries of Europe are at war, the
4th of July means more to US than
for some years past, and we have
great deal TO be thankful for that we
are not involved. Let us rejoice that
fireworks have largely given place to
flags, that emblem of our liberty. Do
YOU know of anything more beautiful
than our own stars and stripes waving
in the breezes?
"Oh thus be it ever when freeman
shall stand
Between their loved home and wild
wars desolation-
Blest with victory and peace, may the
heaven rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and
preserved us a nation
Then conquer we must-when ours
it is just-and this be our
motto-"In God is our trust
And the Star Spangled Banner IN
triumph shall wave
Ger the land of the free and the
home of the brave"
Unfortunately or fortunately %
Mayor White failed to show up, and
his address was missed.
The crowd was by this time begin
ming to stir impatiently.
Next came the crowning effort OF
the day, the Grafton by Bailey
Millard. of Palisade He was both
orator and poet of the day, and Ger.
tainly made one of the ablest and
happiest ew-thought addresses ever
heard anywhere. He never gave :;
disparaging thought to America. On
the contrary, he preached a new de
liverance on the thought of what made
America. 1t was faith, he said. Faith
in her flag, her record, her people,
treme tension of the crowd, Mr.
Millard held the closest attention of
the audience and made a distinct hit
because he brought message with
a new idea dominating 1T, and 1t
thrilled. He was interrupted many
times during the address with vehem-
ent applause, because some of his
periods and climaXes were forcetul,
telling and eloquent. 1t was speech
to be proud of Mr.. Millard said:
Ny Friends:
Never have | been so highly honored
and never has Palisade been placed IN
such complete jeopardy as when l was
asked to serve in the dual capacity OF
orator and poet of the day ON this
proud occasion; for | am neither
orator nor poet and if in all my talk
| say anything, which is unlikely, !
may expound some of the rankest
heresies ever uttered.
When | look at your committee
sitting there so confdingly and un-
suspiciously, not realizing what they
have invited, | am reminded of the
story of the western lynching party
which hanged the wrong man. They
felt that an apology was due to the
bereaved widow, so they went to hel
home, and, after a little awkward
hesitation, the spokesman said;
Madame, we're awful sorry we
hung yer husband. 1t was mistake
The laugh is on us!"
And so | think your committee
which intrusted me with this dubious
performance will soon be saying
''The laugh is on us"
We ought to be thankful for such
a pleasant afternoon for our celebra-
ton. We had been having SO much
weather lately that | was afraid we
would be in the position of good ole
Father Sullivan, who announced the
parish picnic in this fashion: "We
will hould our picnic on Saturday
afternoon at two o'clock, if it doesn't
rain. If it rains in the afternoon we
will hould it at tin o'clock in the
ma'arnin'."
But, my friends, all pleasantries
aside. / am quite sure that you WI
agree with me when | say that | dc
h. asaINf r 4 Z