The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-02-23
TREMENDOUS
Of
PATRIOT It's NJ
Washington Birthday Cele-
bration Brings Out
Record Crowd.
CHEER SPEAKERS;
SING america"
Allusion to international
Crisis Shows People
Are Behind Wilson.

With the hall taxed to its capacity,
and the audience galvanized from
start to finish by powerful outbursts
of patriotism. as the words of the
speakers pictured the American
Liberty founded by George Washing
ton in whose honor the celebration
was held, Pensacols proved it's I'M
divided allegiance last night in the
Keyser auditorium.
Though held under the auspices of
the Catholic societies of Pensacola,
representatives of every creed and
sect were present, and as the speak
ers rekindled scenes where all had
stood together one and indivisible,
forgetting differences for love of
country, the Same spirit was again
apparent. and the gathering shook
the building to its very foundations
with a tremendous ovation.
Carrying out the patriotic idea, a
we'll arranged program was listened
to with keen interest, as prominent
local and visiting speakers extolled
the virtues of the Father of His
Country, until, closing the exercises,
the audience itself tcek hand and
literally shouted the chorus of the
national anthem, its echoes rever-
brating throughout the city.
After an overture by the orches-
ira, and a quartette, "The Stars
Spangled Banner" Rev. Father Full
lerton was introduced by J. ]. Sui
Ivan, and was greeted by a tremen-
dous applause. Impressive in it's dig
nifty and simplicity, the speaker
using the figure of the Washington
monument at the capital as his
theme, clothed it with a beautiful
smile, showing the strength, unity,
singleness of purpose, and loyalty to
ideals and country which Washing
ton embodied and left as a rich heri-
tage to the world.
He pointed out that as each stone
laid upon another, helped that great
spire pierce the blue of heaven, so
each citizen, of whatever race or
creed, by loyalty to country builded
national structure impregnabie and
indivisible.
Father Fullerton, touching on the
principles of Washington as applied
now, and in the light of present con-
ditions, called attention to the unity
which had been such a great factor
in the national life, and touched the
grave crisis with Germany. When he
said that as before, in times when
the country's peace and dignity is
assaulted by foreign king or emperor,
when its liberty, that priceless gift
of Washington is threatened, then,
now as always will Americans forget
petty strife, forget religious differ
ences, and rise as one to the defense
of their common interests.
A short selection by the orchestra.
followed the address by Father Ful-
lerton, and Judge William B. Shep-
pard, of the Northern district Of
Florida, was introduced by the chair
man.
Interrupted almost every minute
by storms of enthusiasm, Judge
Sheppard's address, while most ap-
propriate to the spirit of the occas'
ion, by its timely discussion Of the
international situation, caused q con-
/ tinued demonstration OF patriotism.
Striking paragraphs in Judge SheP-
| >ard's speech were:
Judge Sheppard's Speech.
Washington believed in govern
ment strong enough to afford the
greatest Individual liberty consistent
with peace and good order, and the
rights o6 property. How well he
builded, John Marshall, the greatest
expounda. of the law, with his keen
prophetic vision has best inter
| preted.
Abraham Lincoln, the preserver Of
the Union, which Washington or
dained. defined its destiny when at
Gettysburg he eloquently said: "Our
fathers brought forth on this ICON
| tinent q nation, conceived In liberty
and dedicated to the proposition that
/