The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-06-14
r OF H FLAG.

In cOmmemOratiOn of the fact that
on this date the continental congress-,
124 years ago, or more precisely
speaking. June IA, 1777, enacted the
law which made the stars and stripes
the emblem Of the nation the date
has been called Flag Day." and an
nually is receiving greater recognition
Is a semi-holiday. In some states
laws have been passed requiring the
day to be observed in the public
schools by appropriate exercises, but
even in the states having no such law
it is observed by almost all public
schools. The schools Of this city hav-
ing adjourned for the summer, such
exercises, of course, cannot be held
here, but there should be a liberal
display of the national colors from
every public and private building as
a mark of respect to the proudest ban
ner that has W fioated over a free
and liberty loving people, and to keep
alive the spirit Of patriotism which has
ever marked the people of the nation
and which caused the birth of the
glorious emblem whose natal day
this is.
June IA, 1777, congress decreed
THAT the flag Of the thirteen United
States be thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white; that the union be thir-
teen stars, white in a blue field, rep
resenting a new constellation" The
number Of stripes having been in
creased by the admission of new
states, and other admissions being
probable, April 4, 1918, congress
passed another law by which the thir-
teen stripes were unchangeably re-
stored in the following act: THAT
from and after the fourth day of
July, next, the flag of the United
States be thirteen horizontal stripes,
alternate red and white; that the
union be twenty stars, white in a blue
field, and that IN the admission of
a new state into the union one star
be added to the union of the flag;
and that such addition take effect on
the fourth day Of July next succeed
ing such admission" Since that
change twenty-five stars or sovereign
states have been added to the union,
making forty-five in all.
Another change was sought to be
made in the flag by removing some
of the stars, but the attempt proved
unsuccessful. but not until after the
greatest war known to history had
been fought and the seeding states
had been brought back into the fold.
They, as much as those that COM
PEELED them to remain, now revere and
love the flag and as events during the
past few years have gone to show are
just as. ready to do battle in defense
of it and to maintain ftsk glory and
fame unsnllied. The mapy lives that
have been laid down wherever "Old
Glory" has waved over battle fields
have been cheerful sacrifices made
for it and always in the cause of JUS
tice and freedom, and it now waves
over those who, until they beheld it's
glorious folds and cleaning stars
above the smoke and roar of battle
waged in their behalf did not know
the meaning of the word for which
it stands and to whom liberty and
freedom were but words to be repeat
ed in the secret recesses of mountains
and in the noisome depths of swamps.
The magic of the words was the spell
that caused them to hope and suffer
until liberty riding on war impelled
chariot found an abiding place among
them, guided and directed there by
the nation which has ever worshiped
at her shrine. The reign of the tyrant
was forever ended and under the shell
tefing stars and stripes they are Sc
cure against the designs of tyrant
and the ambition of the enslaver.
Long may it continue to wave and
alawys stand as the emblem of the
friend of the oppressed and the res
lei of the d~owntrodden.
PAID PENSION ATTORNEYS.
Some OF the eastern newspapers.