Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-06-24

VlGKNBRV and enduring synonym
lNMISsgM Therew said the delegate from
lAEEkAlI Massachusetts, George III will be
VN6EW able to read that without his spec
W. tacles." And as he touched it up
and Dlackened the heavy strokes of the quill he
remarked to his fellow delegates:
"But we must be unanimous there must be no
pulling different ways. We must all hang to-
gether.''
I'VE must indeed all hang together" replied
Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, "or most as
surely we shall all hang separately"
We Americans of 1921 can read a lot between
the lines of these two historic utterances, if we
dc little digging into before-th Revolution
American history-enough digging to get clear
idea of what brought about the Declaration of
independence. And it is every good Americans
patriotic duty to do that same digging-and do
1T now. OF course were not all tarred with the
same brush but-to use more time-honored Amer
zcan similes-it's dollars to doughnuts that the
average American doesn't know enough to last
aim across the street about the causes leading up
40 the Revolution. And as for the Declaration it,
self he couldn't to his life tell what half Of
1t means. This is a bad business in itself and it's
especially bad right now
For going to have new kind of Fourth
of July celebration in the United States of Amer
ica. The Fourth has quit being the day of fire.
works and casualties. And in the kind of
Fourth of July celebration the Declaration of In
dependence will come to its own the browning
couch of public observance, The American Rev.
olutiOn is the greatest steppng-sto in the march
OF the centuries toward freedom and the Declara-
&ion of Independence is its symbol
Though the Declaration of independence is to
come back to its own, the new Fourth will not
be the day when the American Eagle screams and
the orator bawls because Uncle Sam handed John
Bull a K o century and half ago. There are
Gwo reasons for this.
ies no rid TObn RuII and TInoIn
Sam nov stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of
sal that our common holds dear of personal
freedom and political ideals.
The other is the fact that the Revolution was
not a quarrel between two peoples-the British
g1eople and the American people. 1t was in it's
earlier stages at least, strife between two diff
&aent political and economic systems. 1t was no
unrelated event. but formed part of the history
ssf the race on both continents. There was Brit
ssh revolution at the same time there was an
American Revolution. The British revolution was
TO regain liberty. The American Revolution was
so preserve liberty. On both sides of the Allan
sic the kings prerogatves were the aim OF rev
dictionary attack.
Now as to the many things that may be read
between the lines of what Hancock and Frank
ain said here's just hint: Hancock was rich
merchant 1t part of the purpose OF the
British troops at Lexington and Concord to cap
tire Hancock At that time Hancock was re-
49,
crown to recover nearly half million dollars as
penalties alleged to have been incurred for viola
zion of the laws of navigation and trade. Han
cock had inherited his fortune from his uncle,
THOMAS Hancock who had become wealthy SNUG
sling tea So it was no more than right that John
Hancock should sign his name large and piain
10 the document which, if made good, would save
him from financial ruin and give him free COM
Enerce with all the world
BENJAMIN Franklin, publisher, printer, phllos-
e,pher and statesman, seventy-one years OF age
fine Oldest member of congress, was more con-
cerped with the political than with the CONNER
eial aspects of the situation. He made clever
lest but no man there knew better that there IS
Fnany a true word spoken in jest.
So the truth is that our side of the ocean
rbe fundamental causes leading up to the Revo-
sution were both political and economic-and pos
sjblv quite as much economic as political. To ar
gv at the main features of the situation the fol-
downing chronology is helpful:
1760-Accession of George III Conquest of Can
ada by British.
17Gl-Revival of navigation and trade laws of
v66O and 1868. Issues of "Writs of Assistance.
1764-Parliament demands that colonies pay