Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-07-28
JULY FOURTH
TO ENGLAND

particularly popular day in Eng
land-until the last few years, when
the English people have come to real
ize that the safety Of both Great Brit
ain and the United States-and the
safety and stability of the entire
world-rcsts upon the degree of
friendship between these two English
speaking nations.
Recognizing this truth and desir-
ing to foster this friendship by pro-
noting international understanding,
the great London Times on July
issued a special Fourth of July edi-
ton, which was filled with articles
by great Americans principally ex-
planning to the British mind some Of
the apparent complexities of Ameri-
can thought and action, particularly
in matters of foreign relationship. 1t
was a remarkable paper, one that
might be perused with profit by every
thinking American. In the editorial
column of the edition was an explain
atory editorial which is worth repro
ducing here, for it revels this spirit
Of national brotherhood which is be-
ing promoted by far-seeing forces in
our two nations. 1t follows:
The first words of the American
Constitution are eve, the People
of the United States" Tomorrow
"the people of the United States"
celebrate the 144th anniversary of
the signing Of their Declaration of
independence, and there is more in
this rejoicing than the commemora-
ton of formal act of separation.
There is in it a national conscious
ness, and a justifiably proud con-
seriousness Of all that is meant by
the development of the original
Thirteen States into the great ma
ton which today looks out upon
two oceans. As long ago as 1880,
Thomas Pownall wrote that North
America is become a new primary
planet in the system of the world,
which, while it takes its own course
IN its own orbit, must have effect
on the orbit of every other planet
and shift the common center of
gravity of the whole system of the
European world " This was written
while yet the very form of govern
ment of the new nation was unde-
cided and there could have been
vouchsafed to Pownall no vision
of the events which were to make
his forecast so triumphantly true.
He could not have seen, as the
American people of tomorrow will
recall, the crossing of the noun
tains to the wide lands beyond, the
heroic figures that led the way to
the winning of the west, the rest
less push of the early pioneers to-
ward an ever-receding horizon, the
founding of new states, the peo-
ping of new territories, the pur-
chase of Louisiana, Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark on the
road to Oregon, the wild gold-rush
to California, the amazing romance
of internal transportation, iurch-
ing stage-coach making way for
long leagues of railway, the flood
ing in of the immigrants, the stu
pendous growth of commerce, the
building of cities by enchantmenc,
the outward leap to Alaska and
distant tropic islands-all the pa
geant of American history with
its figures of great men, states
men and orators, admirals and cap
tains, poets and preachers. 1t is
all this AMI much more that gives
to the national holiday its colour
and its true sign yficance. Is it
strange that we also in this land,
whence came the mel Of 1776, the
len who took for themselves sep
arate and equal station" should
L. L., I
ants who have so splendidly COM
pleted the making of a nation?
We share with them so much that
makes life worth living that we
may be forgiven if we see, in the
parallel growth of United States
and the British Empire, the widen
ing reach Of our common ideal of
freedom defined and safeguarded
by law. a plege for the present
and a promise for the future.
There is no object better worth the
striving, for men of English speech
than a cementing of such a friend
ship between the two peoples as
will set them face to face in
trust born of understanding, ac-
customed to common counsel,
yielding nothing the one to the
other which honour and justice
would withhold, while patiently
seeking the road of progress and
peace.
This can come only when SYM
pathy is born of fuller kno wledge
British sympathy with American
problans and American ideals, Am
erican sympathy with British per-
plexities and British traditions.
The American Number which we
publish today is contribution to-
ward British understanding of that
America which fought side by side
with us in the Great War, and
which, like ourselves, is beset by
anxieties. Political conditions, with
special reference to the Treaty OF
Versailles, economic and social
problems, farming prospects, IN,
dustry, postwar finance, the OIL
question, labour troubles-these
and other matters are discussed
while the arguments for ana
against prohibition are set forth by
-, e lo+I, eiJac One feature