Evening star., 1896-12-31
Don't DishOnor the Flag,
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:


The government has shown only a proper
seif-respect in passing laws forbidding the
debasement of our national flag to the use!
OF advertising or the decorating of articles
of merchandise. l think it is quite time
| that the attention of the public should be
called to certain abuses of the national EN-.
blem which have been permitted here at
the capital under government auspices, and
10 prevent their recurrence on the coming
festivities of the Inauguration. believe il
Is a part Of the code of our army and navy
that the national flag is never to be per-
mitted to- touch the ground. 1 was told
by an eminent navy officer of an incident
when in some foreign port the local author
tiles had decorated the gangway of a yes-
sci by draping 1t with the American flag
in honor of the visiting American fleet,
Whereupon the American officer in COM
Eland sent a message requesting the re-
moval of the flag from this footway and
Its display, If at all, at the masthead!
A little of the same spirit will be advisa-
bic in checking the exuberance of our peo-
BILE In using the flag merely as a cheap
makeshfft for decoration, regardless of any
sense of it's dignity as our national en-
blem. On the occasion of the unveiling of
the Hancock statue in this city the ma
tional flag was subjected to the dishonor
Of trailing on the ground, where it was
stretched around the base of the specta-
tors stand, as cheap way Of covering up
the rough foundations Had this been
done III the rural districts, where the local
committee may have regarded the flag
only as so much gay colored bunting, it
could have been pardonable, as attributa-
BILE to ignorance, but here at the capital. in
ceremonial conducted by army officers
and In the presence of the highest officials
OF the government, such an indignity was
not to be expected. Let us have nothing of
this dry goods use of the flag at the COM
ing celebration. Let 1t appear in places of
nonor or not at all. The tendency to use
the flag for all kinds Of purposes is not
SO inexcusable among our people when we
consider how little the decorating com
mlttees have ever done heretofore in sug-
gesting other forms or materials of decora-
tlon To hang out the flag or to buy
cheap paper one' to stick on to some
conspicuous object, no matter what, has
been supposed to be a Contribution to
the city's decoration. How different from
well-devised, artistic scheme of decora-
tion, In which standards, masts, festoons
shields, laurel wreaths, arms banners pen
mons, eagles and all such emblematic re-
gaia may be made to have harmonious
and impressive parts. I have seen one of
the wealthy cities Of Great Britain, on the
oco aston of a royal reception, decorate the
main route Of the procession for miles with
lofty Venetian masts bearing clusters of
colors and festooned with garlands. 1
tapestries hung on the balconies and win
dow sills, and beautiful armorfal and other
devices. The beautiful colors Of our nag
can be used in bunting strips In a vast va
riety of graceful and imposing FORMS while
we reserve the flag itself always for the
post of honor, where it belongs. Let us
remember that even with 80 sacred a thing
as our national nag there is q line beyond
which the familiar use Of II may become
that abuse which breeds contempt. F. s.