The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-01
PATRIOTISM THAT PAYS

One of the most remarkable expressions
of popular disposition which has ap-
peared in recent years is represented py
the subscription idea. There is hardly a
laudable current purpose of national sig
nificance for the accomplishment of which
subscription has not been either secured
or suggested, where funds are necessary
to its accomplishment
Few have been willing to question the
proper application of funds collected for
laudab!e purposes. But from time to time
facts come to light which show certain
of the very patriotic and public-spirited
persons who actively interest themselves
in the undertakings of this general char
acter to have individual axes to grind.
The latest case of this kind is brought to
light through what is known as the Betsy
Ross House Fund. The movement repre-
scented by the Betsy Ross House Fund is
one ostensib.y organized for the purpose
Of purchasing the house in which the first
American flag was made by the historical
Betsy. AS a matter of fact it would now
seem that the purchase Of the house was
a mere incident, to be deferred as long as
the subscriptions continued to come in,
Out of a total of about $4,000 sub
scribed to purchase the Betsy Ross house
and present it to the commonwealth of
Pennsylvania less than s1S,GO0 was avail
able for the fund. The balance went in
expenses. Part of the machinery got
ten up to promote the subscriptions con-
sisted in giving to the subscriber a GER
| tificate bearing a reproduction in colors
of the painting Birth of Our Nations
Flag and each person getting up club
of thirty stockholders received a premium
consisting Of a larger and more generous
picture. It was a business undertake
ing, of course, that of buying the birth
place of the nations flag, and hence there
was necessarily much expense involved
The business feature of the undertaking
consisted chiefly in the expenditure of
S52,5OO for the collection of 1900. It is
not easy to understand what an elaborate
national patriotism for the purchase of
| the Betsy Ross house was without having
read a statement of the expenses. Such
a statement has been published. In con-
| densed form it is as follows:
For 529, 43O certificates, s17.O71 81; for 16-
3S6 premium pictures, Sc, ISL 90; for SOU
venirs and frames, $40. 43; for wages, So
2i3. Al; for postage, 81, 253; for rent of Of
: fees $3.50; for advertising, $755. 10; for gen.
! eral expenses for building annex, counsel
! fees, vault, typewriting machines, sta
| tionery, insurance, office furniture, ETC.,
| S2,561. 65; for printing, S2,6A.13; for mail
! ing tubes and boxes, $49S. 70; for petty ex-
| penses, S619.23, and for expressage, g.
450. 20.
OF course If the state of Pennsylvania
! wanted to buy the house in which the
first flag was made, it would buy it. But
it didn't. There were those who wanted 1t
to do so. however, for purely patriotic
purposes. Their devotion to the old flag
was unquestioned and unquestionabIe; but
was much greater evidently with an ap-
preparation in sight than without Hence
| the movement to buy for the state of
| Pennsylvania what it was perfectly able
| to buy itself and pay for if it wanted to
do so.
In order to make the scheme successful
for its promoters it was necessary that
the names of men of national prominence
should be available. Hence ''The Betsy
Ross Memorial Association" with the
names of Rev. DR.. Morgan Dix, John
! Wanamaker, Gen. Benjamin F. Tracy and
others at its head But the utilization OF
men of that stamp even for purely patri-
otto purposes has its drawbacks. For, in
this instance, they have demanded that
an accounting be had. and enquiry held
into the disposition of the balance of the
$4,000 collected.
Americans are disposed to act like a
nation of children whenever the patri-
otto impu' Sc is played on. They subscribe
! to anything and everything which appeals