Sunday morning globe., 1901-11-24
MGKINLEY'S flower.
The Red CarnatiOn as a National
Emblem.
mr.. TAYLOR SUGGESTS IT.
How Flowers Become National EmbIams --
Those Of France, England, Germany and
the Several States, Which Have Adopted
These SynbolIOaI Embems - Peculiar Cir
Oumslanues Controlling Selections.

President McKinley's favorite flower,
the carnation, has been entered by A.
B. Taylor, of Fargo, N. d., as a candi-
date of being a national emblem, Mr..
Taylor says:
"It seems to me that this would
keep his memory fragrant as long as
the union lasts"
For years past the selection Of a
national flower has been much dis
cussed This is the first time an at
tempt has been made by a sort Of
plebiscite or general vote to choose
such an emblem. In other countries
tie adoption Of a national flower has
been due to some actual occurrence
or to some legendary story. That Of
France is perhaps the first and most
famous. II was adopted by Louis VII,
who reigned from 1877 to 1880 He
had the heur.de-lis represented in
goid over the azure blue mantle worn
by his son Philip when the latter was
crowned a joint king. It is said the
design was not taken from the real
flower. but was brought down from
Heaven by an angel. Il is also prob
able that It was originally the 'tieur'
de-Louis' which by a translation in
meaning became "heur-de lys' or lis
or "luce." At any rate the lilies Of
France" have cut a famous figure in
history
The rose was porn as a cognizeance
by several English families before it
became a national emblem. A white
rose was the badge Of the house Of
York and a red rose that OF the house
of Lancaster. Henry VII united the
two families and wore a rose as his
badge. Legend has it that in a night
attack on the Scottish army a Danish
soldier stepped with his naked feet
upon a thistle whereupon he cried out
with pain. which gave warning to the
Scots and suggested their national
flower The Welsh are said to have
worn the leek in their caps when the
Cadwallo attacked and defeated the
Saxtons in $40, hence their floral en-
blem. The shamrock is supposed by
some to have been selected by ST Pat.
rick to illustrate the doctrine of the
trinity but there is no reliable record
of how Ireland came by it's romantic
trefoil for a racial emblem. The ma.
'tional flowers Of other countries are:
Italy. lily Germany, cornhower; Prus.
sia, linden Egypt, lotus; Spain. pome.
granate; Saxony migonette, Canada,
sugar maple.
In the discussion Of an American
national emblem the golden rod, sun.
flower morning glory, honeysuckle or
columbine, corn flower and others have
been proposed. The golden rod ap.
parently has been most in favor, but
there lis one objection to It, It's feath.
cry form does not lend itself readily to
be regarded as necessary in heraldric
Ornamentation. The requirement is an
important one in the choice Of a suit.
able emblem. It would be represented
on banners, i'm decorations and in jew.
cry, and a score Of other ways, and
It is not easy to so represent the gold.
en- rod These points are likely to re.
ceive grave consideration If Congress
should ever act on the suggestion to
select a national flower, which does
not now seem probable. If a floral
emblem is accepted by the people 1t
will probably be due to some great
sentiment.
Some Of the states already have
floral emblems as follows: New York,
rose; Delaware, peach blossom; Maine,
pine cone and tassel; Vermont red
clover; Minnesota, moccasin flower; (;
Iowa, rose; Idaho, syringa; Alabama,
golden rod; Colorado, columbine; Mon.
tana, bitter-root Nebraska, golden
rod; North Dakota, wild rose; Okla.
homa, mistletoe; Oregon, golden rod;
Utah, sego lily.