Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-11-06
A NATIONAL FLOWER.
Some Of the Candidates That will Bid ios
the Honor on Next Fourth Of July.

q national flower is clipped from the
Buffalo Express" and is Of timely in
tcrast, following as 1t does upon the re-
cent meeting Of the national flower del
eEates in the South:
What shall be the national flower OF
the United States? Most Of the states
have selected their emblems; but foi
the country at large there has yet beer
no decision beyond the reach Of appeal
There is a national society of womer
at work on this very question just now
Mrs. Norah Gridiey is the national sec
retary, and she tells something abou'
the history of the agitation OF the sub
jcct and what the society proposes
Some years ago some women undertook
to create a sentiment for the pansy
she says, but the fancy soon died out
The pansy is an Importation, low in
stature, and of no historical signiti-
canoe. and it was not enthusiastically
received. Later on Miss Margaret
Harvey undertook to immortalizc the
arbutus, a fragrant, modest, clingine
plan,. and it did receive considerable
home only in the Eastern and Middle
SNeit'Ht fiitit tHtit u'bto Iipl l'ifit-
sent the entire country: it is too dainty
and modest Il flower. too, and not sufii-
GENTLY effective either in color or form.
Some years afterward the golden rod
came to the front. After an intimate
acquaintance, however, the golden rod
agitation resolved itself into cry for
deliYerance from hay fever, influenza
21d cpizoOtic.
At last 4 powerful and mighty can
didatC arose. the sunfioWcr, the peo-
les choice" 1t was sturdy of growth
effective and startling in decoration
always turned its face to the sun, and
.yculd yield Il large and rich CONNER
cal product. If all the domestic ami
isais should become extinct, &aid the
Kansas people. still the sunflowcr
would produce substance which
would illuminate the world, lubricate
machinery, fry every doughnut and
grease the wheels of time. Sunnower
Clubs sprang up all over the land: sofa
pillows. tides and bedspreads were
erabclished with this aspiring flower
Then the tickle people took up some
thing else.
The daisy venturcd campaign. but
j'a claims We're 50 slight and insignifi-
cant that its praises were ssoon hushed.
Then there came into the field anoth-
n candidate. the coiunbine, whose
qualifications were enthusiastically set
forth. In the first place, it's name is
suggestive Of Columbia. the Goddess
Liberty. Then il has but three colors.
fc1. white and blue. Its five horns of
7 ienty represent the prosperity Of the
ration. The horn turned upside down
is perfect liberty cap.
But about this time there seems to
/ ave been a luil in the national flower
l:ovonent. 1t was only lying dormant.
i:pwever, and showed new life during
The Wor,ds Columbian Exposition.
among all the manifold womens en-
,eTprises of 1893, there was none more
Interesting than that of the national
Coral emblem section. Under the aus
ylces Of the board OF women's managers
f. was hoped to make this a powerful
1reariza ton. 1t was put into the
fands ,of q manager from Kentucky.
,ooths We're erected, polls Opened, and
he desired emblem was fairly launched
the Zea Mays. or Indian corn. All
hjections had been overruled. The
eW national flower was graceful. dec
atiTe and represented great CONNER
jal wealth. However. though this
brilliant campaign in behalf of the
seemed worthy a Napoleon,
the interest in corn began to diminish.
The more assertive women began to
g scover that coercion or gag law
had been the order of the day. Finally
; 7.e to fa;, eel
gave rise to a well-defined and indie
rendent movement, which resulted in
the formation of The National Floral
Emblem Society of America
It is this society that hopes to settle
tae question now once for all. and of
Y hich Mrs. Gridley. who is responsible
i1r the foregoing statements. is secre-
fary. She says the society is formed
fer the purpose of giving every man,
s-oman and child in the country
chance to vote for the national flower
II has appointed a chairman for nearly
very state in the Union. who is work
ing in complete harmony with the main
movement. Several of these chairmen
have planned a state campaign and
carried it to successful issue. and also
have secured through the legislature
state legalization.
1t is the desire and hope of a num-
Der of the members of the national So
ciety to make the national floral en-
hiem consist of a garland, composed of
the different state flowers thus sym
oolizlnS the motto. Il pluribus unum'
GAany in one.) Notwithstanding this
desire, the national organization has
been formed with one object in view.
which is that all states and territories
may Je reached. and we, as q nation.
may be so informed that we may de-
liberatc upon the matter, and thus OBJ
tain genuine expression of the will
Of the people.
Floral state festivals are being con-
Quoted, play has been written for
schools, floral games are instituted
and when the national election is called
the entire schools of the country viii
be called upon to vote.
The society is now in nourishiny
and hopes to be able to bring
to focus, next summer, the national
with the election day on the
N v,v.<I, .,r