Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-04

The man who tries to keep lawful
and law-abiding American flag flying
has lively time In these days of in
Simultaneous State making, when Quay
presses the button and Congress does
the rest, and Territories are developed
Into States while you wait. In the six
teen months endiag the 18th OF this
month the national flag has changed
three times. The official 1agmakers
are now wor king day and night TO get
the third change into the flags of the
Executive, the army and the navy, lest
perchance by any accident any official
flag should disgrace the Fourth OF July
by appearing on that day without full
constellation OF forty-iour stars. OF
course, everybody understands that
since 1918 the only change in the flag
has been by the addition of star for
each new State admitted, always added
on the. Fourth Of July succeeding its
admission.
Prior to 1918 the admission Of now
State meant the addition Of new stripe
as we'll as new star to the flag. But
only two stripes were so added, one for
Vermont and one for Kentucky, for it
NNhninO 4Hpui Qub Nndu w hCtp VII
ing stripes would presently convert the
flag into an awkward standard unless
the stripes should be made so small as
10 be ugly.
THE FLAG OF 1918.
So in 1918 Ohio, Indiana and other
States being waiting for the recogni-
tion In the flag, Congress considered
the matter moro carefully than in 1904,
when many members protested against
wasting time on such an unimportant
question, and determined, acting on
the advice OF Capt. Sam C. Reid. OF the
brig General Armstrong fame, to fix the
stripes at thirteen original colonies and
States, and to put star for every
State in the ''union" Of the flag; adding
star after star on independence day as
State after State should be added.
.es<ta&a-R Reid was very anxious that
Congress shpul1 say just how the stars
should be arranged, preferring himself
that they should be arranged In the tig-
ure of a star, but Re, never was able to
get Congress to do so, even many years
afterward when Congress presented It's
thanks to him by resolution and he
asked II as last favor.
The law has never been changed since
1918. and has been observed ever since
by the Government at least with such
care that II has never been possible to
say, as was said by member In the de-
bate Of 1918, that he had counted nine
stars in the flag flying that day over the
Capitol and Eighteen stars in the flag
living that day over the navy yard.
HOW A CHANGE IS MADE.
Whenever new State is admitted
the President announces the change in
the flag TO go into effect the on the fol-
lowing independence day. For ex-
ample, in February, 1890, he announc-
I'd that In consequence of the admission
Of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wash
hgton and Montana, four stars would
be added to the nag, stating at the
same time how the stars should be
arranged. This is the way the an
n0uncement was made to the army and
navy in an official letter promulgated
on February 90, 1890: The field or
nnion of the national flag in use in the
army and navy will. on and after July
4. 1890. consist of fOrty-two white
stars, I'm six rows OF seven stars each,
In a blue field, arranged thus: