The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-15

It was reserved for the Hon. CASE BRoD-
ERICK, ar eagle.eyed Congressman from
Kansas, to discover, just as the House was
about to adjourn, that the flag behind
Speaker REEDS desk was Of an obsolete
edition. Mr.. BRoDERICK thereupon
promptly introduced the following resolu-
tion, one Of the most singular Of all the
eleven thousand bills and resolutions re-
ferred and ordered to be printed during
the recent session:
"Whereds. Tho flag which adorns the Speakers
chair Is not up TO date in this, that 1t fails to contain
the ~forty-hve stars; therefore.
"Resolred, That the Clerk Of the House of Repre-
sentatives be. and he is hereby, directed to supply q
United States flag containing the full number of starr
for the Speakers desk before the opening Of the next
session Of Congress"
Although there was not time to report
and pass the Frederick resolution, a word
to a wise Clerk of the House is sufficient.
No doubt the first Monday of December
will find Speaker REEDS chair decorated
with an American flag that is correctly be-
spangled.
Every patriotic American ought to see
to it that his flag is up to date; that is to
say, that the blue field contains a star for
l CIVIL olO VI thO SOobCS Vi WV
Union. There are now flying a great
many flags with forty.four stars, and some
even with forty.two; and these are not less
lovely to the eye or precious to the heart
because they do not display the regulation
number. Nevertheless. the missing star or
stars have a right to a place with their
starry sisters.
In the case of a forty.four.starred flag,
it is sometimes possible to supply the de-
f~iciency, without marring the general effect,
by cutting out of white muslin another star
and sewing it to the blue bunting. The forty
twoHstarred flag, owing to the symmetrical
arrangements in six rows of seven stars,
does not admit any additions; the only
way is to get a new flag.
One thing Is worth speaking of. As the
stars have increased in number they have
necessarily diminished in size. They are
80 many now, and consequently 70 small,
that at a little distance the stars lose their
individuality altogether and appear
rs minute white dots, running into
white lines as you get further away.
The field is neither 80 beautiful nor
30 significant to the alien eye as it
was when the stars were fewer and much
larger. Inc Americana familiarity with
the contents of the field, of course, ~corrects
the optical impression but a stranger, be.
holding our amer for the first time and
at a distance of a few hundred feet, might
even suppose that it presented lines OF
reading matter in white letters upon q
blue background.
A considerable accession of States in the
future will greatly increase the difficulty
of disposing the stars in a satisfactory
manner. The field will assume even g
more spotty aspect than it now has. Tt
the eye, the blue and the white will run to
gether, giving the effect of a pale and de
graded blue instead of the rich color which
is one of the chief beauties of our beloved
banner; and the stars, as stars, will have
lost entirely their old value in the field.
Probably the solution will be the ar
rangement Of the many little stars int
some one device or pattern, having it's owl
individuality and being distinctly visibl,
from a distance; perhaps a single larg'
star made up of the little stars and show
ing practically white against the blue
This Is too important a question, however
to be settled offhand; and it presents t,
patriotic and artistic citizens q problem o
} the most interesting character.