Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-17

Attempts Made to Get National Vote on
the Subject

The following hictory OF the move
ment to furnish the United States with
national flower is clipped from The
Buffalo Express, and Is OF timely In
terest, following as 1t does upon the re-
cent meeting Of the national flower del
egates In the south:
What shall be the national nower Of
the United States? Most of the States
have selected their emplems; but for
the country ut large there has yet been
no decision beyond the reach of appeal.
There is a national society Of women
at work on this very question jusa
now. Mrs. Norah Gridley is the ma
tional secretary, and she tells some
thing about the history of the agitation
Of the subject and what the society
proposes. Some years ago some wom-
EN- undertook to create sentiment for
the pansy, she says, but the fancy soon
died out. The pansy Is an Importation,
low In stature, and Of no historical sig
nificance, and 1t was not enthusiast
cally received. Later ON Miss Mar
garet Harvey undertook to immortalize
the arbutus, fragrant, modest, cling
ing plant, and it did receive consider
able sympathy. But the arbutus makes
It's home only in the Eastern and Mid
die States, and, therefore, does not rep
resent the entire country; 1t Ii too
dainty and modest a flower, too, and
not sufiicietly 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
deliverance from hay fever, influenza,
and epizooty.
At last powerful and mighty can
didate arose, the sunfiower, 1.-The peo-
pies choice" 1t was sturdy Of growth,
effective and startling in decoration;
always turned it's face to the sun, and
yield large and rich commercial pro-
duct. If all the domestic animals
should become extinct, said the Kan
sas people, still the sunfiower would
produce substance which would IL
illuminate the world. lubricate machin--
cry, fry every doughnut and grease the
wheels of time. Sunfower clubs sprang
up all over the land; sofa pillows, tides
and bedspreads were embellished with
this aspiring flower. Then the tickle
people took up something else.
The daisy ventured a campaign, but
it's claims were so slight and insignif-
icant that its praises were soon hushed.
Then came into the field another can
didate, the columbine, whose qualifica-
tons were enthusiastically set forth.
In the first place its name Is suggestive
of Columbia, the goddess of liberty,
then it has but three colors, red, white
and blue. Its five horns of plenty rep
resent the prosperity of the nation.
The horn turned upside down is per-
feet liberty cap.
But about this time there seems to
have been lull in the national flower
movement. 1t was only lying dor
mant, however, and showed new life
during the Worlds Columbian EXPOSE
ton. Among all the manifold women's
enterprises Of 1893, there was none
more interesting than that of the ma
tional floral emblem section. Under
the auspices Of the Board of Women
Managers it was hoped to make this
powerful organization. 1t was put
into the hands of manager from
Kentucky. Booths were erected, stalls
fairly launched-the Zea Mays, or In
dian corn. All objections had been
overruled. The new national flower
was graceful, decorative, and repres-
ented great commercial wealth. How
ever, though this brilliant campaign
in behalf of the corn flower seemed
worthy Napoleon, the interest in corn
began to diminish. The more assertive
women began to discover that coercion
or gag law" had been the order Of the
day. Finally the effort to suppress q
fair canvass gave rise to a well-de-
fined and independent movement
which resulted In the formation Of
1.-The National Floral Emblem Society
Of America"
1t Is this society that hopes to settle
the question now once for all, and Of
which Mrs. Gridley, who is responsible
for the foregoing statements, is secre-
tary. She says the society is formed
for the purpose Of giving every man,
woman and child In this country a
chance to vote for the national flower.
1t has appointed chairman for nearly
every State in the union, who Is work
ing in complete harmony with the main
movement. Several of these chairmen
have planned State campaign aud
carried ii to successful issue and also
have secured through the legislature
State legallzation.
1T is the desire and hope Of num-
Der OF the members Of the national So
ciety to make the national floral EN-
blem consist of garland. composed Of
the different State flowers, thus sym
bolizing the motto 'E pluribus unum'
(many In one). Notwithstanding this
desire, the organization has been form
ed with one object in view, which IL
that all States and Territories may be
reached, and we, as n nation, may be
so Informed that we may deliberate
upon the matter, and the will Of the
people"
"Floral State festivals are being COD
Quoted, a play has been written for
schools, floral games are instituted,
and when the national election is called
the entire schools of the country win
be called upon to vote.
'sThe society is now In flourishing
condition, and hopes to be able 10
bring to focus, next summer. the ma
tional campaign, with the election day