Evening star., 1921-07-04
FREEDOM MESSAGE
BY LIBERTY BELL

Proclamation of 1776, An
nouncing independence of
Colonies, Is Recalled.
On July 4. 1876 from the tower -of
Independence Hall. in Philadelphia, the
which had been inscribed twenty-three
years previously with the words PRO
claim liberty throughout all the land.
unto all the inhabitants thereof" tolled
out to the world it's message that the
independence of the thirteen colonies
had been so!emnly declared.
That day stands not only as the day
OF freedom of the original thirteen colo
nies. but as a prophecy of the forth
coming independence of practically every
portion of the Americas, as we'll as OF
llberty-loving peoples in other parts Of
the world. Today most nations cele-
brate a day which has particular sig
nificance in marking the time when the
light of liberty broke upon them," says
bulletin issued by the National Geo
graphic Society from its Washington
headquarters.
Bastille Day in France.
"On July II the French celebrate
their fete rationale, or BaStile day,
the day in 1889 on which the mad
frenzied, half-starved and prosecuted
mob of wretched and miserable hu-
manity which haunted the novels IN
the Faubourg Saint Antoine pulled
down almost with their bare hands
the prison which had grown to mean
to them the symbol Of their oppres-
sion.
To-day. on the site, bronze column
marks the spot where this hAse
fortress shut away thousands of pris-
dungeons. to oThich they had been
consigned without trial and from
which they were dragged at intervals
for exquisite torture. The mob killed
the guards, carried the prisoners on
their shoulders in triumph through
the streets and scattered the prison
records to the winds. Thomas Paine
secured the key of the Bastile and
sent 1t to George Washington. whose
fight for liberty had served to help
kindle the spark Of freedom which
had already been struck in France.
When Napoleon put such decided
kink in the doctrine of the divine
manifested itself in the colonies of
most of the European nations. Ono
Of the mightiest reactions came in
the colonies of Spain teSp4
Liberty Bell RunE in Mexico.
Miguel Hidalgo. curate of the little
village of Colores. Mexico, rang the
bell of his parish church early on the
morning of September 16. 1910. to tell
his compatriots that they must take
from that moment their stand in the
cause of freedom. That day is now
celebrated as the Mexican Independ-
ence day, though the emotional and
volatile followers of the priest desert
ed him by the thousands and allowed
be severed and suspended for ten years
upon a spike from a corner of the
Alhondiga de Granaditas in Guanajua-
to, where during his earlier successes
he had made spectacular stand.
fThe independence day Of the Central
American countries is just one day be-
fore that of Mexico, though the actual
drawing up of the Acta de Independent
cia occurred eleven years later. Pro-
nunciamentos had begun to appear In
various cities in Central America as
early as 1911. and though Spain, on ac-
able to send armies to Central America,
blow was struck for freedom when
ever it was possible and many Of the ma
tives and creoles died In the cause Of
liberty. Finally. in 1921, the repre-
sentative Of Spain in Guatemala Joined
dependence was declared. The other
countries Immediately followed suit in
a few days, but all Of them observe the
earlier date.
Liberator OF Five Nations.
Before Independence was gained in
Central America revolution was rife
in practically every portion of South
America The royal governor Of Ven-
ezuela was deposed on April 10. 1910,
and a popular council was selected to
rule. The next year Bolivar, the Gre
ator of Ave of the South American ma
tions. was instrumental in getting a
formal declaration of independence
drawn up and a republican constitu-
tional form of government was de-
clared on July 5. Venezuela DEGREES
holiday on each Of these days
when Ferdinand VII tumbled down
of the throne of Spain upon the COM
ing that their chance for national
freedom had come. organized on Sep
tember 1S, 1910. government to con-
troll as long as France should hold
Spain, and they now consider this
the date Of the independence.
The other Spanish-owned countries
had caught the epidemic and lined up
Bolivia being among the last to re-
sist the authority Of Spain.
Brazil, wearying of the tempera-
ments and tempers of Portuguese
princes. proclaimed its independence
of the mother country on September z,
1928. although 1t submitted to several
Of them thereafter as Brazilian en-
perors. Cuba claims as her independ-
ence day that on which the American
governor general withdrew from the
island and left the little country to
conduct its own affairs untrammeled
by a foreign power. Czechoslovakia
came into positive existence on Octo-
ber 28, 1918. and this day has since