The record-union., 1899-07-09
TWO FLAG LESSONS.

There recently appeared in "Harpers
Weekly a letter from one of it's regular
correspondents Franklin Mathews, Il
graceful and thoughtful writer upon
patriotism in Cuba. Mr.. Mathews
writes from Matanzas. where he says
General Wilson has the American mil
itary band play for one hour each even
ing on the public plaza for the benefit
of the people who assemble by thou
sands to hear it. In other cities the
bands formerly played once or twice
week, but under General Wilson, who
evidently is a believer in the gospel OF
music, the order is every night. Mr..
Mathews says:
If an American would like to feel a
thrill of patriotism such as never came
to him at home. one of those nightly
concerts would have been the place. 1t
stirred the blood to hear the Star
Spangled Banner played in a foreign
land, with the cdor of flowers heavy in
the air, with royal palms and other
tropical vegetation for q background,
and with the shouts of hundreds of
happy children who had just escaped
an awful death of starvation. And
when every American-soldier and CIV
ilian-rose to his feet and uncovered, it
was thrilling to see hundreds of for
eigners do the same with reverence and
gratitude. I never knew what the
Star Spangled Banner" meant until
heard one of General Wilson's bands
play 1t at night on the public square in
Matanzas. Not having a military
training, had listened to it at home
seated, and perhaps with my hat on,
hundreds of times. I was never taught
as a boy to uncover at the sound Of its
strains, but if the reader will pardon
the introduction of purely personal
matters into this story. I should like
to say that hereafter I shall always
rise and uncover. The natives Of Ma
tanzas taught me a lesson--one that
1 wish could be taught TO every Ameri-
can citizen. Our schools now teach the
hymn faithfully in their singing exer-
cises; how many of them teach the
pupils to rise to it?
Herein are two lessons Upon one
the "Record- Union has preached over
and again to this community, namely,
the value of introducing the custom of
rising and uncovering when America"
is sung or the "Star Spangled Banner"
is played To this date only Indifferent
success has attended our efforts.
For a time after the opening of the
war with Spain. when we were at a
fever heat of patriotism, it was not
difficult to induce our audiences to arise
when the national hymn was played or
sung, just as every EngIishman under
the sun comes to his feet and uncovers
when the English national hymn is
heard, no matter what the occasion.
But we have fallen back upon the old
ways and now our people sit and do
not even always applaud when the ma
tional air is sung; at least the applause
is perfunctory and comes after, as in
case OF most other commendatlon by an
audience.
This is not to be attributed to de-
cadence of patriotism by any means,
but rather to the hold old habit has
upon a people. Never trained to the
beautiful custom which prevails in
most other countries regarding national
airs. we are very slow to break into
new lines of conduct. Nevertheless not
all communities are thus fixed in habit.
It is recorded that at the East now it
is becoming quite general to rise and
uncover when the national hymn is
sung, and to salute the playing Of the
"Star Spangled Banner" in some form.
whenever its strains are heard.
According to Mr.. Mathews, the peo-