Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-26
STATE HOUSE.
Appropriateness Of Design for
the New State Flag.
Idea OF Beautiful Emblem Originated
With Ger. Richards.
-
non l. 7. Carleton Resigns as Member o
Seventeen Legislature.

AcdiS IL haS been felt that the
state OF Maine should have a flag and
the TACT that the Legislature passed
an act providing for the same is re-
cc.Ned with great satisfaction NaarIy
every state in the Union has n flag al
lts own. although some have heen
delinquent in the matter. New York
uld not institute flag until 1897. and
massachusetts has nothing but her
reSlmental flag at the present time.
there are many occasions in which
the state Is represented. both in this
ana other states where a state flag is
ii'ost appropriate, indeed almost neces-
sary, and none have realized the lacl,
Vi such an emblem more than Adju-
| taAt-General Richards. who in the
course of his duties of office has had
IL brought to mind oftener and with
greater force than the ordinary State
official
! The act passed by the LEGISLATURE
! provides that the flag shall be buff
ana in its center shall be green pine
tree and in the upper left-hand
corner shall be representation of the
pole star in blue.
The idea OF this design was out
lined by General Richards who
formulated a bill to that effect. He
| did not word the description according
to the terms used in heraldry because
they might be blind to many who are
not familiar with them. but the bill in
simple comprehensive language. set
/ forth fully Gen. Richards idea.
The design as adopted is prefera BILE
| in many respects to the State coat-of-
| n WI t.h
placing on the flag. Maine is everv-
| where known as The Pine Tree
State" and what could be more an
proprlate than that representation
of the tree should be one of the salient
features of the flag? While the State
coat of-arms might not be easily recog-
nized. the pine tree would he known in
any state in the Union as the emblem
of Maine Were flag bearing the
pine tree carried through any city
the people would say: There is
Maine"
Then there is the pole star. Maine
| is the most northerly OF all the states.
The pole star, or the north star is the
means whereby the mariner guides his
course over the trackless ocean. The
motto of Maine is ''Dirigo.'' l guide
Therefore the pole star is a most APP
prOpriate addition. General Richards
had these points in mind when formu-
lating his idea of a design.
Besides being the most appropriate
in design the State flag will be thing
of beauty. The background Of buff.
the old colonial color. will harmonic
perfectly with green of the tree and
the blue pole star and altogether will
form a beautiful emblem. most fitting
in appearance and sentiment. to be
the standard of the old State of Maine.
The board of State assessors will
meet. one week from today. and will
commit the railroad taxes at that
time.
AS a result of the winters legisla
ton. the assessors will find much more
work thrown onto their shoulders. The
acts providing for a tax on corpora
tfons palace cars, and q direct tax on
time deposits of trust and banking
companies sare. examples of additional
work. Then the assessors are author
tizatf and instructed to investigate The
tlaws and methods of taxation in vogue
Fin other states and from such in
Ixestigations, to apply their expert
l.
Fence III this State. and suggest any
tmeans Whereby taxation in Maine
lInav be equalized and improved.
Bank Examiner Timberlake mas
iconamenced his work of making eX-
ordinations for 1901. One eXamlna-
ttion has already been made ana sew
eral more are in view for THIS Week
John A. Morrill,. Esq. of Auburn,
\ commissioner TO revise the laws 81
Maine. a position which was destoWed
upon him with unanimity by the Maiiie
| Legislature. will go to Augusta Ill d
day of two and will promptly peGlh
work on the revision to which he IS as
signed. There are about l5oo laws 70
be collated and the execution OF the
task will require great diligence as
there are but u months in whlch 70
| complete the work. That the WORK
| will be executed in exact ana thorouSh
manner. goes without sayinS.-LeWiS-
ton Journal.
| Hon L. T. Carleton. repfcSeHtdtiN
| from, tho claSs district of BeiSTdlt'