Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-04-04
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
Changes That Have Been Made in Our Ma
tional Flag What 1t Signifies.
New York Mail and Express

New York Mail and ExpresS.l
IL is thirteen years since there have b,
been any alterations IN the United
States lag. Tie admission oi Colo-
RADIO in 1876 increased the number oi I
st ars to thirty eight. The addition oil
four stars for the new states VIII nor
interfere with the symmetry oi the nag
Had the original intention of congress
(of adding a star and stripe for every
new state) been carried out, oHr has
would now he u curious combination H.
When the coIonists first came to
America they brought the ilaeoi Great
Britain. This was formed OF "a union
of the three crosses of st. George, IT.
Andrew and st. Patrick, and marked
the union of England. Scotland ana
Ireland.
When the colonies began to rebel
against the pressure oi British laws
they constructed n plain iiae without
bars or crosses and placed upon 1t
rattlesnake cut into thirteen pieces,
representing the thirteen colonies, with
the motto in large capitals, union OF
die But after the thirteen colonies
became more united and determined
to resist British tyranny. they placed
a well-iormed rattlesnake on the iias'
with the new motto. "DOn't tread on
: me-" BENJAMIN Franklin, on being
asked the meaning of that enblem'
wrote as follows:
son inauiry and from study Learn
ia, ,ha ). .ncirnts considered the ser
y n.nt nm emblem of wisdom, and, II
4 come attitudes, of endless duration
!. Also that countries are often repre-
sented by animals peculiar to iha'
Icountry. The rattlesnake Is found no
n where but in America. Her eyes ar
IS exceedingly bright and without eyelld
y -emblem OF vigilance. She never he
uins an attack and she never surrehd
ers-emblem OF magnanimity ana coui
ne ,ys She never wounds even her en'
es mics till she generously gives thei
=, warming not to tread on her-which
emblematical OF the spirit oi the pee
~ nle who inhabit her country. She IA
Or pears apparently weak and deiense,e'
sh but her weapons are neNert ileiess io
m midable. Her poison is the necessai
means for the digestion oi her loo'
~ Mt certain destruction to her eneni'
IL showing the power oi American
ill sources. Her thirteen ratties, he on
to mart which increases IN number, al
-. vel so united that they cannot he d
:" Connected without breaking them
or nieces. showing the impossibility oi
ry. American republic without q unlon
he states. A single rattle will give
II. sound alone, but the ringing oi |
thirteeu topet her is sufficient to star
iid th- boldest man alive. She IL beau
lip iul in youth. which increa seth with ]
ru- age Her tongue is forked, as the liel
..:.-s,, ,..', he~ "hode is among the J
f., penetrable rocks.
'o' The next form of the United sta
ted flag was the stars and stripes. l
Iuc- proportions We're perfect when pr'
,in- srly made, the first and last stripe
"a ine red. with alternate stripes oi VIII
The blue field for the stars ~
led square of the width oi seven strll
Is "A ON June IL. l11s, theront mental 90
and grsss resolved That the flag oi
for United states he thirteen stripes,
yiul ternate red and white, and that
Tho Union he thirteen white stars %
as blue field, representing new cons
the lation." The Sta ars of the ilag rel
sent the idea taken from theconste
lta- ton Lyra, which signifies narmo
eve The blue of the field was taken II
,rth the banner of he covenanters ol -
the land, likewise significant OF the lea
.s.l
The against oppression AMI incidental!
yer, vOIVIng vIPiTaTce, perseverance,
king Justice. The stars were disposed |
Fred circle, symbolzing the perpetulty
king the Union, the circle being the sigl
Fred ct ernity. Both the thirteen str
and and the stars showed the numOe
This the united colonies, and denoted
Dyal suborlination OF the states to,
! at their dependence upon the Union
.eing well as equality among themsel
vhen The whole was II blending oi the
TAX yious banners, namely, the red &C
, for ,hich in the days OF Roman glory
und- thr signal OF defiance, denotimg dan
and AMI the white purity.
ever On Jan. I3, 1894, 10y an act oi
now rress, the flag was altered to iliteei
rian and white stripes, and fifteen st
tiV tntfe ntNlIip betii WV hV" 80
high ded to the Union, and the flag
sent altered and enlarged was the one W
esn- was borne through all the contest
state the war of 1912. On April l,
with congress again changed the ilag ID
ideni turning to the original thirteen - Z
the as adding IA new stripe for each
sonal tional state would soon make the
sup too unwieldy.
Now "a new star is added to the
e po- on the 4th of July following the ~
n was sion OF new state into the
Mt at The perfect flag. with its TIN
point stripes OF white and red, and its
'lenty field, with its fifteen stars. was UNI
~ da- 10. .ao i;rc. ,iu.o at the battle ri
. Aus tora. Oct. 1.l111, by Benedict Ar
: and who bore the flag during that i'm
could ant engagement. After his desc
rvices of the American army he carrie
. one. uniform and the same iiag o Eng
lnas- where he died in poverty and dis
ce as in the year 1901.
would
Jucn1l