The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-04
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
NEW YORK, July S.-The thoughts
of 60,00O,0O0 of people are today turned
towards the stars and stripes. There
are flag days and all sorts of days that
we celebrate in one fashion or another,
but, when the Fourth of July gets with
in reaching distance, then we realize
that the day of days is at hand. That
is why the star spangled banner is in
the minds of everybody.
The orators with silver tongues have
told and the poets have sung about
all that is great and glorious regarding
the old flag. So much for patriotism.
Really, the flag is a very prosaic ben
eft, apart from the sentiment that at
taches to it. Thousands of thousands
of people gain their living, from one
years end to another, in making Unit
ed States flags. That is the way that
Ben Butler, "Strabismus Ben" laid
the foundation of his ample fortune.
Think of it. Every year, the people Of
the United States buy 3000,0O0 flags
During that same year 100000 flags
disappear. Nobody knows where they
go to. Like Mr.. Isaacs and Ram Lal,
they go into the cold clear light, and
that is all that anybody seems to know.
Just at the present time the en-
ployes of the flag factories are work
ing long hours. They are making mon
ey and plenty of it, and it is all be-
cause the Fourth of July is so near.
The manufacturers of flags say that
it does not seem to make much differ
epce how strenuously they seek to pile
Up stock by degrees in order to fill the
Fourth of July demands, about
month before the Fourth so many or
ders come in they have all they can do
to fill them. A curious fact is that.
no matter how hard times may be, the
demand for flags rarely lessons. We
hay have only few dollars in our
pockets, but that makes us none the
less patriotic.
The American flag has just passed
its 120 birthday. The patched-up at
fair that Betsey Rose gave to the world
at the time of the Revolutionary war
has been produced millions of times.
Yet the only change from the design
that the expert fingers of Mrs. Rose
prepared is in the number of stars.
1t is just the same flag in appearance
that decorated the hall in which the
first congress of the United States met.
1t is a finer flag now in point of ma
terial, and almost any sort can be
bought that one is willing to pay for.
but whether it be silk or paper, it is
the stars and stripes, the idol of the
people, whose fame increases with the
addition of every star.
And all the time we think Of the
poetry and prose of the flag. TIE
Englishman boasts that his rather ugly
arrangement of red and yellow is the
most popular flag that floats, but ever
so many people will dispute that. If
any reader of these lines has ever
visited foreign country, has been
stranger in some far away place over
the ocean, he may remember the feel
ing of joy, of pride, almost rapture
that came to him when he hrSt saw
the stars and stripes floating over the
consulate.
The writer remembers some years
ago walking down the Bots de Bologne
In Paris. Just ahead of him was reg
ulation man Of the world, and yet
something about him indicated that at
one time or another he had lived IN
America. He walked slowly down the
avenue until all of sudden, from the
second story of a building at the
right. there was flung to the breeze
the silken folds of a beautiful specl-
men of the American flag. The man OF
the world saw it. In a second his SILK
hat was off his head, and. despite the
onlookers. he gave three as lusty cheers
for the stars and stripes as ever came
from an American throat. AS the
writer reached him, he turned about
and. with the tears rolling down MS
cheeks. said: II did not know that the
sight of anything could touch me ike
that" And then he cheered again.
This is lust by way of evidence that
the average person who looks al, waves
and carries the American nag mas real
" no idea Of the place IN ms heart
n n
a thing of beauty and joy forever, II
Is the flag of the United States
Thousands of people say that 1t does
not protect them Wnen away from
home 1t has been said in mass meet
ings that it was no longer the nag
of the free. And yet there is not one
of those who made the remarks re-
ferred to who would not fight In g.
minute for that same flag If any one
beside an American citizen spoke
against it.
A singular fact concerning the Amer
lean flag and the people over whom II
floats is that with all reverence for IL
thew are dreadfully irreverent with 1t:
The flag Is something to be cheered
and saIuted and honored in every way,
but when 1t gets worn out, II IS cast
aside and a new one substituted. NO
body knows and nobody cares where
the worn out ones go to. Sufficient to
the day is the fact that they nave
served their purpose.
This by no means refers to battle
flags. No. indeed. If there are only
three inches of red, white and blue,
and a single star remaining attached
to the staff of such banner, the peo-
pie think infinitely more of it than
they would of the finest thirty foot
flag that was ever made. The poor olo
rent and tattered banners all have a
meaning There is history, tragedy,
romance and sometimes humor among
the memories of the dear old relics. Let
any one who doubts that pay visit TO
the state house at Hartford, Conn.,,