The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-07-07
GERMANy's IMPERIAL FLAG.
How the Black. white and isea
Came To bc Adopted.
Isl. Louis Fost. Uispntch.


Before ISL each Kingdom had IL
own fag, composed of two coiors, black
and white for Prussia. green and white
fpr saxony, and blue and white for Ba-
varia. and so not only the kingdoms.
but the principalities. hal their espe-
ciai flags, all OF two eolors, and the
tierman array constituted n regular
Kaleidoscope.
When the empire was established, IL
became necessary to adopt flag, and
this led 20 tremendous controversy
and TO Isln5s and schemes without
number. No kingdoms wished 10 have
its standard entirely ignored, and the
smaller governments Insisted equally
strongly upon their rights. Ii Mas
practically impo<siile 10 let some In
without admitting all 10 represents
ton. and flag was pfesented to the
eonneil having the matter IN charge
which would have been, II adopted.
the most curious and coinplicat<s1
standard ever seen. The idea was -
represent the color Of the different
kingdoms In the corner. or Jack Of the
flag, ami To have the free cities aud
municipalities show their cosors on the
outer part. Two arrangements wese
offered for consideration, ore not f1~
like the stars and stfipes in genera
design. aud another q sort of ellcekGe-
board arrangement. When II = trssno
in mind that more than forty eonshimr
aiions had to he made. the rompiica-
tion Of .iis Hag can he appreciated. A
very fierce controversy arose over this
point. all admitting that ssteh . 12f6s
The one proposed would b. ai,~l116e
while no one was willing to give nnfl9
claims oi the particular gvyernns<sIt
represented The Kingdoms pForDsoI
o pan by which their eol0is st0se
should be- combined into nafsonA1
dag, but this was strongly opposed "
the smaller divisions OF the euspiE4
After letting the matter ruB on iorsUsne
time the PfGssian delegates, who ka4
at first taksn little part in the aiseper
sion, eaine % the front and oifercdth6tf
plan
This was that the PrusEian coloss,
black and Shite, should be eombsned
with rel. which from fiTae inHnseno-
rial had been recognized NJ the impe-
rial color. A furious controversy at
once broke ont, a. the representatives
os the smaller kingdoms objected mort
strongly 90 being entirely isnored and
spparrlltly swallowed up In the PrHs-
sian dominion. But the smaller states.
Who saw that under no circumstances
had they aBy chance Of re ignition,
ioirsed forces with Prussia, rrrssrring
H. have comrades In extinction. and the
consequence was that the present eot-
ors were decided upon. The ssftaiirr
kingdoms, bavaria eeIryfaiIy, then H.
sisted aposl caeb Kingdom being -
lowed 70 show is 0wn nag in addition
to The imperial standard ~ the head of
its troop This was voted dssn, On
the ground that such eonrSe would
give vaitIai,le information TO an easrpy
a. 90 the number Of troosrs In ffcnf-
As 4 last resort, q reso oufson Was Of
feTedi 70 the effect that she positions of
the eoiors should he changed. an THAI
they shoIld be hung parallel TO the
staff. instead 81 at right Angles 10 4.
A Prgssian commissioner xsised IL
sbiectien that fhI. might czs1>< faeM
misunderstanding IN time u bartis. =
the blue, white and se Of tie fFfSsee
could not be told ffaRs the 0efsns4 :;
banner. This xss rig srssed - e55.x5
ivr, and thr present. etaAlns<ls
i essentially Pftasetse -
asicFted. ~