The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-07-03
Not Just a Holiday


Not Just a Holiday
The Fourth of July. which we will
celebrate tomorrow, is more than
holiday. It is the anniversary of the
nations birthday.
As such it is worthy Of more medi-
tation than most of us give to it.
TO the man with job, it brings
opportunity to vary his routine, per-
haps to go on picnic with his fam
lily. to do this, or that thing for which
he has sought leisure. To the man
without a job it may offer a chance
to fill in at this or that position
while its regular occupant enjoys the
holiday.
Almost certainly it will be day OF
heavy automobile travel, too many
accidents, too many fatalities.
This is the normal course OF July
Fourth observances in this country.
Formal programs will be numerous
and orators will spout, but 1t Is
doubtful if the nation as a whole
will drink quite as deeply at the
springs OF patriotism as 1t should.
It is perfectly all right to make
this day one of enjoyment. but 1t
will do none of us harm to spend a
few moments meditating on the his
tory Of this republic, on the signifi-
canoe Of this day and on tho part
which we are called to play in the
further development of the nation.
It is beneficial for us to realize
that this day, 157 years ago, marked
the birth Of new idea In govern
ment. It brought the severing OF
ties which bound loyal subjects to
their king and their traditional
homeland. It was a time when real
patriots, many Of them men OF af-
fluence, risked both their property
and their necks to support political
freedom and humanistic ideals. It
brought the formal beginning Of
that period of travail and misery
from which, eventually, the worlds
greatest nation was to be born.
That date marked the beginning
of our national history, on the whole
a glorious and honorable one. It
was the start OF our progress. a
pathway which still looms ahead of
us, shrouded In the impenetrable
mists of the future.
Life was pretty cheap and the av-
erage man was pretty small when
our Declaration of independence was
written. Our ancestors lived under
conditions which, to us, would be in
tolerable. Freedom Of speech, Of re-
ngion and OF thought could be-. and
frequently were. banned. Slavery
was an accepted fact and prisons
were filled with men whose only
crime was that they had contracted
debts. Might usually was the mas
ter Of right and justice depended
upon the temper OF q select class at
the time it was doled out. There
was no such thing as individual lib
erty as we know 1t, or Of constitu-
tional rights.
The country was small then. This
vast western empire In which we
live, was undreamed Of. It was to
remain a myth for q years after the
declaration was issued, was not to
be settled for almost another cen
tuy.
These items in our history should
be OF special significance to us now
because Of the troublous times. I'm
der the stress Of material hardships
we have shown tendency to hold
our constitutional rights lightly, tt
forget the principles for which the
founders Of this nation risked thei,
lives.
Faced with relationships in man,
European nations, we have felt thu
urge toward dictatorship here a
home. Some have advocated il
openly. Most Of us have stood SUI
pinely by and watched attempts a
dictatorship on our own soil. To,
many have lost sight Of the fact tina
principle is higher guide than ex
pediency.
On this day We should review thes
things and each man would do wei
to check over the record Of his owl
citizenship. see If It measures up t
the tremendous obligations whicl
have been handed down to US. l
our record Of patriotism, Of observ
ance Of our ordinary duties Of citi
zenship. is susceptible Of improve
ment. this Is the day for maxim
high resolve to do so.
Exit the Atheists
It Is possible to get two or thre
little smiles out Of the news that til
depression has so sharply reduce
the number Of militant atheists thu
the American Association for IL