New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-15
CONCERNING GOLDEN-ROD.

Our readers arc aware tnaI lhc P'o'o "'"
children of lork-IIeavcn bless them
by decisive majority recently elected the
poldcn-rod to the proud place OF State Flower
Il is conceded in pOlitico floral circles that inc
canvass was fairly conducted at all It's stages
Not n ballot-box was stuffed or stolen or III
any manner tampcled with 4; no inspector was
unfaithful to his trust; perfect order prcVaiea
at all the polling places and no scholar voteo
more than once. In other words, the election
was a genuine expression OF inc ch'ldrc"
preference and the goldcn-rOd won slgnal
victory. although it had the rose and scNcra'
other worthy and bewtching competitors.
We'll, it was to be expected that the par
tisons of the unsuccessful candidates for the
state FlowcIship as good Americans would
gracefully acquicscc in the result but to their
shame be it said, they have not done 50. In
stead OF moving tO make the election mani
nous, they kick, abuse the golden rod' anu
cvincc a mean inclination to 20 behind the
returns The other day congress OF farmers
met at Council Bluffs. and before 1t ADJOURNED
said ditto to the Empire States school-chii-
drcn. This ratification has made the anti
coldcn.roditcs madden than ever, ana one
would udgo from their talk that the goloch'
rod. instead Of being as una~umlng as Shc Is
beautiful, was 4 Haunting flower. oil thiHles
and poison, quite capable OF cOnspirlng to gam
an election by bribery and violence. one OF
these kickcrs brings an indictment against the
poldcn.rod composed OF two colnts-both silly.
The first is. that the flower is useless. and
the second that its associations are low, slnce
cit Nu,irl>hcs best in the dust OF the hi9h-
vuy beside which it grows" q seltss,' ch !
Oh. no. If eyes were made for seeing. then
bc,u,y is is own excuse for being. 80 says
Emerson. and 50 say all lcvel-hcaded persons
As well call the rainbow. or the waterfall or
the sunset clouds useless. The other count Is
lust rs untcnab.e. The golden rod is not to be
written down. not in this eyer glorious Iahd
of ours where one man is as good a. announcer
Lccan>. il i, a highway" flower and is some
Times found with the dust Of the highway
,rr,uklrd upon III lovely wand>. Th" golden
rod never pretended Ia b. an ariStOcat-
neither did Abraham Lincoln. against whom
the change Of low associations' used to be
hro,,yht Lincoln was 4 man OF the people !:
tho y ,ldcn rod is a flower Of the people. Lin
coin was simple. unaffected. typical child OK
our democratic system. ~ ~ the goidch-ro"'
II WAS i'm accordance with tho genius OF our IN
.titu,ions that Lincoln and th" gold"il-r"d
.ho,lld on the score Of merit bc exalted above
their fellows. Onc can well believe that II the
state Flower contest had been held in one OF
the European countries the golden might
have been defeated on tn" ground that She WAS
not exclusive, that She was deficient IN prli"
of birth. BIT who shall say that thu young
\m,l,cans who chose her for stat" Flower
wcr,. not drawn 10 her because She was chlId
Of the highways and hedges on friendly terms
with everybody?
We are quite sure that we speak for tho
how, and girls who voted for the golden rod
in Indignantly protesting against the present
conspiracy looking t. her abascment. IN"
,ol,Irn.,od. of course did not make canvass
for tho honor which was awarded her. IL WIS
made for her .yll that she did was to remain
, in the hands OF her friends. state Flower she
i. and State Flower she will remain. until
another election is ordered In sncering at
her 4, useless and IA lowborn tn" kickcr>. in
stead Of iniuling her. are merely lntrcnchlnG
her in tho affections OF the thousand admirers
| of her artlcS> beauty.