Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-04-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular corrsspondent)
d. c.. April II. g:


unfortunate in the orders he has is
sued concerning Gags. People have
not yet forgotten the howl Of indig-
nation that was raised during his first
administration when he issued an or
der directing that the battle flags in
the War Department, which were
captured during the civil war by
union troops should be returned to
their original owners. That ipdig |
nation was so universal, outside of
the South, and even there the order
was not generally favored, that the
order was never carried into effect,
and the captured flags are still in the
War Department. The Indignation
over his order to lower the American
flag which Minister Stevens had
raised over Hawaii months ago is even
deeper and stronger than that aroused
by the battle flag order, but as yet it
isn't SO loud here, at Washington, be-
cause, being an international ques-
ton, prominent men hesitate to pub
licly speak their opinion about the
lowering OF the American Aag--the
first instance Of the kind on record,
and it is to be hoped the last--for
fear that it may injure American in
terests. But privately, condemna-
ton of the act is heard on every hand,
and not q little Of it comes from
Democrats. Even those Democrats
who tried 10 smooth the matter over
and talk about its coming all right in
the end admit their regret that the
flag should have been lowered upon
Mr.. Cleveland's order and by = man
who spent four OF the best years Of
his life fighting to destroy that flag
and all it represented. Perhaps the
members OF the administration are
not familiar with this quotation from
Hon. VIM. Maxwell Evarts' "Our
National Banner" which is echoed
in the hearts Of millions OF American
citizens, ready and willing to fight,
and TO die, II need be, for "Old
Glory -
Let that banner wave forever.
May its lustrous stars fade never,
TIL the stars shall pale on high;
While there's right the wrong defeating
While there's hope In the true hearts
beating,
Truth and freedom shall no. die"
Had the sailors on the u. S. S
Boston, now anchored in the harbor
OF Honolulu, felt disposed to sing tn,
Star Spangled Banner" after tn,
humiliating episode OF lowering tn,
stars and stripes had occurred, they
might fttingly have used a revised
version Of the familiar words, some
thing like the following;
Oh. ssy, we can't SEQ by Moons bright tight.
Last cleaning"
Whose broad stripes and bright stars. in tho din
light,
"o'er the rsmpssts we watched, were so gal
And ,hs rockets rsd glare, the bombs bursting
Gave proof through the night that our nag wa
st ihersi
Oh, say. 1.-THE star spansled banner doesnt wave
II has been lowered by the hand Of -"
Raising the Constitution of tn,
United States as bar to proven
something they do not wish to hav
done is a very old trick with tn
. Democrats in Congress, and yet
<Hoes seem surprising that they shoul
willing to go before the countr
with1psh a flmsy excuse for not be
ing whaag to have the charge q
criminal Rabezzlement against Sens
tor Roach. ~ Aiigated. The Reput
lcan Senators beng minority coul
not force the Demdgats to vote o
Sens.or lHoar's resolutiS% before &C
journing, but they could aud dis
compel the Demanrn,ia msiKity
put itself on record as being afrai
to allow this Investigation TO be mad,
not because il would almost oertainl
have resulted in the expdisiopi,, c
Roach, hut it would have laid bar
the methods by which the eleotion{
Roach was secured, methods far .frol
4 creditable. Republican Senators ar
n willing to letehe ,matter go in 'h'
p shape to the iutelligent people of tn
country, for the present, at leas
They will bring the matter up Agai
a, tin regular session of Copgfes
when 4 ey hope to be able to comp'
the Send Z to take action.
Half ohthe official Washingto
will go down to see the interestiu
international naval Review in HamE
ton Roads, IN Which, thanks to a Re
publican Congress- and the Harriso
administration, the United State
will make such crelitable showing
nj ~ Al,