The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-06
PLUTTERTNG FLAGS
IN NEW YORK
nxIAY MrRHAM.

eago, naturally envious of It's rival in the
east, has for many years been diligent In
accusing New York of wanting spirit or
patriotism and love Of country Tho
American people have had the right to be-
1ieve especially from the publications In
Chicago papers, that the average citizen of
New York was more interested in affairs
In London than either their own city or in
any part of this country. American plays
In New York have for the past fifteen or
twenty years been failures. Everything
has run to the English-ultra English.
Members of the swell set, both men and
women, have not regarded themselves well
or properly dressed unless their garments
We're made abroad. the women especially
running to the Paris idea of dress. while
the men chung more particularly to the
styles from Piccadilly.
Patriotism has been at low ebb in New
York for a long time. Money and the Skin
mish for money has been the chief aim of
the average New Yorker. He has been 50
busy chasing the dollars that he has lost
sight, of any needs of his country or the
hope of it's perpetuity. Away from the
government buildings, and ON the few
American ships in the barbor, the Ameri-
can flag has not been conspicuous on Man
haitian island until within the past thirty
days. What change has come over the
spirit of the New York people. They have
become more patriotic, more liberty loving,
more genuinely American than almost any
other class of English speaking people in
this country.
Since the 21st day of April, which was the
date of the real beginning of the war with
Spain there has been a constant rivalry be-
tween New York people as to who could
fly to the breeze the greatest number OF
American flags, and in many quarters the
contest has waged as to who could ele-
vate the stars and stripes the highest in
the air. 1t is impossible to give anything
like a correct description of the scenes
in the streets in which the American flags
bear the conspicuous part. There does not
seem to be single building from the bat
terry to Harlem river bridge along the line
of Broadway where there is not displayed
some symbol of the nations colors. The
same can be said of the scenes in almost
every other street, except possibly the
Chinese quarter and in the thoroughfares
through the Spanish colony. Flags are
everywhere. Big flags. Little ags Ex-
pensive flags. Cheap flags. Millions and
millions of flags. The atmosphere is made
merry by the laughing and singing of the
flags
In the lower part of the city, particularly
in the streets where traffic is greatest it is
difficult to pass the distance of a block,
without colliding with anywhere from one
to ten or more flag vendors. The man
who has made a fortune out of peddling
shoe strings and collar buttons has aban-
doned that branch of trade and taken up
that of selling the American banner. Shoe
strings and collar buttons have become
a drag upon the market The American
flag is the one great commercial commod-
ity. One of the peculiar features of the
flag epidemic is that many of these engaged
in the sale of them in the streets are not
American born people. The italian who
has regarded the banana and peanut as the
only genuine articles of commerce has be-
come conspicuous merchant dealing with
the American emblem of liberty. Manu-
facturers of flags have never had so rich
a harvest during the history of the country
as within the past sixty days. The agita-
ton of the war has made that infant in
dustry fairly blossom like the rose. If the
thing keeps up much longer there will no
doubt be an attempt made to form a flag
trust.
In the upper part of the city the flag bust
ness is not carried on to such an extent
as in the lower part. 1t is not difficult,
however, to purchase some kind of an
American flag in any part of the city. AL
most every man, woman and child are
wearers of the national coIors. The red,
white and blue is seen everywhere. Ev-
cry street car carries an American flag.
All the horses, whether drawing the hand
some broughams and victorias or the tom
mage carts are the silent bearers of the
colors. All nationalities. save the Span
iards, adorn themselves with the tri-colored
banner
Few things in the novelty line are not re-
garded as complete or salable unless they,
have a representation of the stars and
stripes. The jewelers. have caught the
craze. A miniature American flag adorns
thousands of the new pieces of jewelry.
Sleeve buttons especially are thus decor
ated. 1t Is difficult to comprehend the great
change of sentiment. In Philadelphia 1t
Is perhaps worse than it is in New York
The Quaker City is the real genuine Amer
lean municipality. 1t was In that city that
American liberty was born. 1t was there
that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declare
ton of Independence. 1t was there that
the constitution of the United States was
adopted. The cradle of liberty and the liber-
ty bell are sacred to the people of Philadel-
phia Fastened to the headlights of al
most every locomotive drawing the fast
express trains flies the American flag. The
engineer keeps one eye upon the flag and
the other upon the track.
This may all be fine lesson to rising
generations. A greed for money has warped
too many minds against love of country.
1t is true that there has been no great oc-
casion Of late to rally to the nations ne
cessity and patriotism was almost at a
standstill. Aside from the roar of the
,oIt