The Dolores star., 1920-06-25

the British crown and that all political connection
between them and the state OF Grent Rritain is
and ought to be totally dissolved"
This Of course is the real Declaration of lnde-
perd,'uce. the document known as the Decinrn-
ton heing adopted two days later. OF the nd"p-
tlon Of the Lee resolution John Ad:ms wrote to
his wf" the historic letter which says. among
Other thinCs:
''iile second day of July. 177G will he the
r4i"arkahe epoch in the history of America. |
an apt to believe that 1t will be celebrated by
succeeding generations the great anniversary
festival. II ought to be commemoru Ell as the
day O. deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to
God Almighty. II ought to be solmenized with
p"Tnp and parade, with shows. gnmes sports bells
h"nir's and illumination from ,ne end of this
continent TO the other from this time forwa rd for
everrnore.'
Time has proved that John Adams though he
got his dates mixed was n true prophet Pru,nbIy
the Fourth of July is our distinctivey American
celebration All the civilized world c.let,rut .s
New Years, Easter. Memorial day Thanksgiving
and Christmas in one way another But Indie.
pendence day is ours alone. To sure we have
Washington's birthday and Lincoln's blrthday
which are also ours alone but the fourth In
cludeS most if not all of what they sfund for
In short the Fourth Of July mighty near
being our national day when the American Eagle
screams for everything from the Mayfower to the
Arconne--from 1920 to November H. 1913
Arn,istice day! That introduces the pertinent
point that another change must be made IN tho
long evolution of the celebration of the Four,h of
July. For If the Fourth of July stands for one
specific thing that specific thing is just ex
a"ty what its original ame--Independence day
signifies. And after Armistce day-nnd ali that
II stands for-its quite evident that the American
eagle must be taught to coo instead Of scream
when it goes to the John Bull part of its perfnrm
ancc
For we have seen our old-tme-two-time-ep
fighting for his life and for lives too against
foe that would have destroyed all that we Eng
lish-spealing peoples in common hold dear, And
after long while we crowded in alongside our
ancient enemy and got busy to mike uD for lost
time, Never mind who won the war. We have
gnmption enough to know exacty what John Bull
did FOR Uncle Sam-and are grateful accordingly
And rs quite likely that Uncle Sam came near
enough to saving John Bulls life to feel something
more than friendly interest in him So some
parts of Fourth of July celebration will hive
to he toned down from now on
Moreover, it's high time that the American nen.
pie put their mind to fixing up the "dny we celp.
brute For the Fourth Of July celebration right
nnw Is betwixt and between. The old fashioned
Fourth was done away with. The "Sane Fourth'
suppanted It, Now the 'Sane Fourth" is in dan.
ger of becoming merely holiday. Holiday cele.
bratIons like men and nations, do not stand still
And the Fourth of July is worth the closest nj
tentlOn and hest effort of the American peoule
The first Fourth of July celebration. which was
held in 17T7 in Philadelphia canot ms a mod.
ei. Its principal feature was banquet Mt which
many toasts drank, each toast being follow
ed by the discharge Of firearms and cunnon Ger
tainly too wet" and possibly too noisy.
The peace era inaugurnted by the coming Of the
Monroe administration and continued during the
twentlas was unfavOrable to demOnstraIve cele