The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-04
BIRTH OF LIBERTY
July 4, 1875, Marked Great
Epoch in Worlds History.
Declaration of independence
Led to Freedom of People.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DAY
Eleanor Kimball Writes of
Great Event We Celebrate.
New Civilization Began With
American Revolution.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DAY
BY ELEANOR KIMBtIL.

BY ELEANOR KIMBfIL.
The Fourth of July. 1876. marked
the birth of the United States of
America, as on that day the thirteen
colonies signed the Declaration of In
dependence, declaring themselves free
/ of English rule.
At a meeting of the Continental
congress held in Philadelphia in 1875,
delegates from the thirteen colonies
were sent to deliberate on the diff
culties confronting the colonies at this
time, the chief of them being the IN
just tax levies and the lack of repre-
sentation. The Declaration of INDIE
pendence was the result of this DELHI
Grafton.
In signing this document the Revo-
| lutionary patriots knew that it meant
war nth the mother country. and
failure to win their cause would mean
the death of traitors for the leaders of
the movement. This required a high
courage and an unfaltering faith in
the righteousness of their cause.
While our forefathers planned with
farsighted wisdom, laying the founda-
ton of the new republic with remark
able clarity of vision, it is doubtful If
even they realized the full effect this
step would have on the lives of future
generations. not only of America, but
Of the world.
One of Two Great Epochs.
One American writer in an essay on
this period says: In the light of the
| present day we are able to discern
the two great epochs in the worlds
| history. There have been many other
notable epochs. but they dwindle away
as the foothills sink down as one as
cends the higher mountain. These
two main epochs are the Christian
era and the American era. One is
marked by the birth of Christ and
he hAr- hNrt ~ A n
| This will doubtless seem to many an
extravagant assertion. But there is
already much evidence to support this
view.
The American Revolution was the
direct and logical corollary of the
| highest Christian civilization In an
age of high civilization it is not easy
to separate the moral and the religious
! from the civil and political. And so
all along down the years of the Chris
tan era there have prevailed positive
ideas as to the civil as well as to re-
ligious liberty.
The American Revolution marked
new era, with more generous sys-
TENS of government and advanced
ideas in regard to civil and religious
freedom.
But it did more than this. The in
fluence of the new nation began to be
felt turnout the world. Every Euro
pean nation felt the pulsation of new
life. But that the United States was a
power equal to themselves, the pow
ers Of Europe refused to admit, even
until the last decade. Nothing but
brute force could command their re-
spect- Then came the Spanish war.
The result startled every powerful ma
ton on earth. Today not a country
questions our standing. Not one that
does not respect and fear the United
States.
THE American idea is now domi-
nant in every South American and ev-
cry Central American country. in a
growing degree. Every nation in Eu-
rope has become more or less liberal
lied"
Not Money Grabbing Nation.
Since the above was written the
standing of the United States has been
proved beyond all question. The belief
prevalent in foreign nations that the
people of this country put the al
mighty dollar before patriotism has
been proven a fallacy. The entrance
of the United States into the world
war. when the whole country united
as one person in the cause of liberty,
the bravery with which our untried
soldiers fought, turning the tide in IA
vor of the allies. has proven that the
| United States is true to the ideals set
| forth in the Declaration of 1ndepend-
ence and is willing to sacrifice and die
/ in the cause.
1875 inspired the men of 81, and the
result of that conflict was a united
nation that responded as a whole
when the call came in 1917. As the
Declaration of independence opened
the gate of liberty for the American
| colonies, so the entrance of the United
| States into the World war was the
turning point in the struggle and
! opened the gates to a Worlds peace.
And this is the new civilization, the
seed of which was planted with the
! signing of the Declaration of indie
pendence one hundred and forty-three
Z years ago today.
While mo man lives unto himself
i alone" the same has been found true
as regards nations. When Lafayette
came to the assistance of the Ameri-
| can colonies he came of his own Volt
| ton and not as a representative of the
| French government. At this time he
| was a boy of nineteen. and avoiding
1 the vigilance of the French govern
ment officials, he fitted out a ship
and sailed for America. landing at
! Georgetown. S. c., April 1877, with
eleven companions.
He was given the rank Of major
| general by congress and was attached
to the staff or General Washington
On the breaking out of the war be-
tween France and England IN 1873.
he returned to his native country.
later coming back to the United
lions that the French king sent a land
force as well as a fleet to aid the
Americans. This action on the part
of Lafayette resulted in a debt to
France that the United States has but
now finished paying.
4 Many American citizens feeling the
obligation of the United States TO
he 0f