The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-26

freely as possible We want it upon the school
houses ard rational buildings. We want the
flag with its symbolism Of LOYALTY and fidelity
like the unciianGing stars in the SKY: with its
purity of devotion: with all il typihe- "i agony
and of sublime self-.sicriiCe-hcid free and pure
and sacred as the cross. il has been contaminated
by the greed NJ gain until it has been dragged
down to the vilest associations. II has been used
as a trade mark of party patriotism. II has been
frequent participant IN street h:oilS and Ilols.
and the recipient OF rotten egg. tobacco juice.
and street filth.
Are We able to realize that even we, the women
Of America. should bear share o; response
bility for that which is about u.s. and that 1t
cannot he east of!
We reverence the heroism of our patriots, but
do protect the dearly bought herctits? We shed
tears OF sympathy a. hear Of the deeds OF the
ion.hearted of our land. and then-do LOOK
| Oh serene and unmoved at the daily and hourly
meckery and degradation OF the emblem of all the
bloodshed and glory OF our national history?
Long years ago the great powers of the earth
found 1t necessary TO protect the symbol OF their
sovereignty from the vicious and lawless. and to
secure for it the Difference due 10 representative
OF the government. Even the earliest known enact
ments of the very early times, fifteen centuries
before Christ, $500 years ago, the laws OF Manu-,
the great Hindoo lawgiver (whose institutes are
probably the fountain head Of modern law), in.
cludcd the following: The breaker OF a foot
| bridge, Of 4 public flag. of 4 palisadc, and OF
| idols made of clay shall repair what he has
| broken and pay a muct OF $40 panas. Thus,
thirty three centuries ago, the power OF law pro-
tecied life and with the sentence, the en-.
| lem of religion and OF nationality.
At the present time there are few great ma
| tons but have laws to preserve their flag from
desecration, and all consider their national en-
sign sacred to be sullicd by love OF gain, not
| TO he at the mercy of the reckless, the evil
| minded nor the anarchist. The first effort 10 IN
| duce the Inted States Government to protect its
| flag 10 have been made in 1850, when bill
was introduced i'll Congress for that purpose. 1t
died in the commit and ten years appear
| 10 have elapsed before the introduction of the
next flag bill in 1870: since that time some similar
bill has been before Congress almost continually.
In 1896, during the political campaign which
resulted in the election Of President William Nc
| Kinley, many of You must have noticed small
paragraphs in the daily press recounting various
forms OF insult and vandalism offered the national
flag. And then it came to OF the Daughters
with intense force that the banner of the Stars
and Stripes the emblem OF their country, that
| it represented the Government which protected
| them, and that deliberate malicious assault upon
| the flag di.lovaity, and, when unpublished
| taught disloyatvsto others That to stand by,
| Indifferent TO such malticatment nj our flag. WAS
| like watching undistuTbed, while sacred affairs
were dishonored-fOr upon what altar has greater,
richer sacrifice been poured than upon this altar OF
| our country. in defence OF This fag Of freedom?
| In November. 1896. member uf the Milwaukee
| Chapter OF Wisconsin read number OF these
| newspaper extracts 10 the assembled chapter, and
| offered resolution. which was unanimously
| adopted inviting all chapters Of the national so
| cety 20 join in petition 10 The Congress OF
the United States for Federal enactment to
| protect the flag from dissertation.
The subject WAS not new one to many
| loyal-hearted men, hut never before had it beer
brought tU the minds OF the women Of country
| that they had special, personal duty to til,
| familiar and beautiful old banner that we al
hold dear. The endorsement of the petition hy
| eighty-one chapters with form OF bill approve,
| by eminent members of the lar and by a judy,
| OF United States Court OF Appeals. pre-
sented 10 the National society Daughters OF III,
| American Revolution. 1t their Continental Con
| Eress. in February 1897, and received the cordia
| endorsement Of that Congress