The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-06
THE FLAG QUESTION.

A false issue, it seems to US, was raised
by those who objected to the Scandinavian
flag at Tacoma on scandinavian day. The
moment that the managers of the EXPOSE
ton decided to have a distinctiyely
scandinavian day." to hang out the
Scandinavian flag was a natural COM
pliment. just as the British flag is dis
played when an official welcome is made
to visiting party of Canadians. The
Scandinavian flag at Tacoma is merely
displayed as compliment to the visitors
in line with the designation of a Scandi-
navian day. IL the designation OF a
national day for these visitors was proper
then the display of their national flag was
to be expected as natural and fitting
compliment and in harmony with day
of distinctive race welcome.
The flag question, recently made a sub
| ject of warm discussion in New York city,
turns on the recognition of an entirely
different principle. When Abram S.
Hewitt was mayor of New York city he
decided that no matter how much private
bunting and alien flag decoration might
be allowed, the City Hall should always
fly the American flag and only the Ameri-
can flag. This was a wise decision; it was
sound public policy to put an end to the
question of prestige and power of any
| particular foreign or naturallzed element
in our large cities by excluding all flags
save the American flag, the common flag
which protects all and winch all are bound
| to protect. whether native or foreign born,
whether Catholic or Protestant Gentle or
Jew, black or white, rich Or poor, from the
| City Hall. Mayor Grant, the darling of
| Tammany Hall, reversed this sound policy
| of Mayor Hewitt to crafty his Irish
brethren on st. Patrick's day, and the re-
| suit is that every time any nationality
wants to celebrate national feast day
| there is a greater racket made over the de-
mand for proper respect for that particular
nationality and its dag than is ever made
| over the American flag and proper public
respect for it by any foreign element.
The Italians in New York city recently
threatened To vote against Tammany if
| they were not favored as other nationalties
! had been by having their flag hoisted on
the city hall, and Mayor Grant. afraid of
the charge of favoritism, yielded, and the
Italians were made happy. If Mayor
| Grant had respected and repeated the SEN
| sibie stand taken by Mayor Hewitt, and
allowed no lag but the American hag to
| float from the city hall he not only would
| have given offence to no foreign or native
element, as the national dag covers them
| all, and is the only common Tag that does
cover them all, bat he would have admin
istered q timely and courteous rebuke to
this silly, narrow, clannish, foreign spirit.
on which aljenism feeds and through
which anti-American and, therefore, anti
patriotic ideas are engendered.
No foreigner. who means to be a good
| American citizen, ought TO wish on any
| public day 10 see any other flag displayed
| on the local government buildings than
the American nag. which is the symbol of
| liberty under law for all foreigners. The
sooner all foreigners cease from tempting
demagogues to appeal TO race prejudlces
by addressing them as "Irish-Americans,
| German-Americans British-Americans. or
| Afro Americans" the better for the
| foreign-born citizens and the whole coun-
try. foreigner who is a voter and genu-
inc citizen of America ought to be content
| 10 call himself an American; ought 10 be
prouder 10 welcome the American flag as
his flag. and all the flag he wanted. than TO
march after the dag of some petty clannish
foreign association.
The foreigner belittles himself. and is
guilty of feminine Stiffness when he per-
sjsts in forcing recognition as man of
foreign birth rather than as that larger
figure-an American citizen. The whole is
greater than part, and the American flag
10 a right-minded. thoughtful foreign
born American citizen ought to be far
love!ier siSht-a dearer symbol than any
foreign flag, because there is no foreign nag
that is equally representative of so much
light and liberty under law as the Ameri-
can flag. Patriotic memories and sen;i-
ments are the strength of q nation, and