Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-07-02
NATIONAL BIRTHDAY
The 13sth Anniversary of The Inde-
pendence of The United States cf
America - Proud Record of The
Past-Bright Hope For The Fature

Ihe recurrence OF tne GioTIOuS
FOURTH" celebrated officially this
year on the fifth of July, brings to the
minds of the citizens of this land of
ours thoughts Of It's past record, its
present standing among the nations
of the world and it's prospects for
the future.
One hundred and thirty-nine years
is not "old" when considering the
great nations of the world; on the
contrary, the United States is one of
the younger nations, but she has been
and is recognized as occupying a place
in the first rank of the great nations
of the world. From a handful of
separate colonies to a world power
of the first order. within a period of
one hundred thirty-nine years is no
mean accomplishment and it cannot
but serve to inspire every true Ameri-
can and strengthen within him true
patriotism to review the history of
his country and note how his nations
flag has come forth from obscurity
and has been carried forward to the
place of honor it now occupies. An
underlying and fundamental reason
for the remarkable growth Of this
nation is that which is spoken of un-
der the term, "The Spirit of '76" and
to which Lincoln gave Interpretation
when he spoke of our government as
one which is of, for and by the peo-
Pile; IL a government is Of a people,
that people must be free people, a
people among whom class distinc-
tions are set aside at least before the
law of the land and among whom all
are free to express their opinion and
entitled to have that opinion weighed
and counted for what it is worth;
else no government of the people could
long endure.
This was the first element of the
"spirit of 76," independence. freedom
from all other governments for a
people who would govern themselves
and among whom the "Divine Right
Of Kings" was overshadowed and lost
in their belief in the "Divine Rights
of Men"-all men. Furthermore the
American conception of government
was that it existed not for itself nor
for the benefit of those who might
govern alone, but for the benefit of
all the people governed; there was
the element Of equality of rights and
opportunity so far as the government
is concerned and this necessitates an
other element, that of tolerance ano
a recognition of the rights of others
The government founded in '76 was
to be administered by the people anC
again this necessitated an intelligent
citizenship it followed that Ameri
canism involved the giving of the op
portunties of education to all the peo
pie of the country it was not to bt
restricted to any class or classes
The fact that parts of the best from
all systems of government in the
history of the race entered into the
new government founded in '76 should
not be forgotten. This was the spirit
that determined the character of th'
new born nation and in that nation'
history that spirit has splendid!
persisted. Through years of strug
gle with foes from without and with
in; through the long conflict with th'
wilderness that was to be conquere'
this spirit has persisted and becaus
Il has persisted this nation has &C
chieved the place it now occupie
among the nations of the world. Their
have been mistakes. there is progres
that remains as yet to be made, ther
have been wrongs that we're no
righted, perfection has not been at
tanned, but in spite of it all ever,
loyal American has an honest righ
to be proud of his country's past rec
ord and should be thankful that it !
given to him to call such a countr
his own.
The future will bring ever new pre-
blems and complicated situation
which may not be solved or deal
with by old methods, but if the sam
spirit which has persisted throug
the past 139 years shall persist J
the years to come the prospect 70
the future of our Nation can be non
other than bright; the course Of tn
nation must be onward and upwart
We have much to learn, we have muc
to attain, we have much to do as
nation; as the nation adheres to tn
fundamental principles Of Freedom
esuality of rights, tolerance and in
partial Justice we shall learn we sha
attain and we shall accomplish. Th
Stars and Stripes shall stand for ne
glory as well as "Old Glory" an
this government "of the people
the people and for the people" sha
not vanish from the earth.