The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-13
rhe incident Of the British Flag.

cause there Is politics IN IL.
------------srsz------.~-----
The Incident of the British Flag.
Washington Post
We have just received from OTTAWA,
Canada, under date of December IL, 1900
what can be the matter with the Can
adam mail service?-a letter from a
gentleman who says his name is Henry
M. Ami, and who describes himself as
belonging to the geological survey"
Mr.. Ami's tone is so far from amicable
and his catechlsm is so entertaining we
think It well to reproduce in fun the
valuable document.
To the Editor OF the Washington Post,
Washington, ID. d.
III Cooper Street. Ottawa, Ont, Can
ada, December IL. 1000.--Dear Sir: Tele-
graphic dispatches of today inform us
that in the centennial celebrations which
nave been going on in your city the Brit
4sh flag was conspicuous by its absence.
The report goes on to say that a
british flag was at one time to be seen,
but 1t had to be covered up out of sight
20 please some one. This means that
the British flag was in the background.
That's where 1t has always been, at your
back, creating your Nation, making IL
prosperous, investing It's capital, sup
plying your best literature, giving your
Nation the best charts the British ad-
miralty could supply, and host of other
Items into which 1t Is not necessary to
enter. What freedom Is there displayed
by such action as that in which the
British flag, CT all the flags, was not in
evidence?
ALLOW me to inform your readers that
only a few weeks ago, on the occasion Of
the return OF the Ottawa contingent from
the South African war laden with hon
ors, yards of the United States flag were
10 be seen floating from a New Yorker S
residence here, and we are pleased to
see any flag uniting with us in hoporing
certain events. Very unlike the tearing
to shreds of the Union Jack in Detroit,
that! Do you think for a moment that
the statesmen of Britain today would
treat the colonies of America as they
were last century? No.
Thanking You for your space, believe
me, yours truly British American.
"(H NJ Ami -
As for the incident in question.-thougl
we notify our Ami right here that we
; are not responsible for it--as for the
| incident. we fondly hasten to explain
that it consisted merely in removing the
British flag from a rather too promi-
s.
the decorations OF the United States
/ mouse Of representatives. No doubt The
/ official who--very wisely-made the
change was guided by the fact that the
! celebration related TO the triumphant
| conclusion OF our war against British
| tyranny and barbarian in this country
4 and inhibited the idea that something
! very much like bad taste would have
| been involved in making the English flat
| si1pb a
| We know of no great crisis in the historl
| of this Republic in which England ha'
I not been our secret--or open--enemy. j
| is difficult to discern a reason why OF
! National anniversaries the American PEG
! pie should offer special honor to thei
| ltfe-long foe.
Touching the rest Of our little Ami
J ebullition, we speak with difficulty
| Preferably we refer the reader 10 tina
part beginning, That's where it has al
| ways been" etc. and ending with III
NJ. Ami" We have lost our interest 1
REFUSES and cryptographs and puzzles
| The gentleman seems to be under tn
impression that England. after malSin
war upon us for several years and Incl
dentally subjecting us to cruelties tina
would have disgraced the Fits, student
changed her policy and consecrated he
| affection and snlicitude TO the upliftin
the enrichment, and the exaltation o
the former colonies. What Mr.. Am
seems to need. above all other things,
a heart-to- heart talk with the marines
II our acquaintance with this gentlema
justifies us in Offering a word of counsel
we should advise him to stick to shall
and hornblende. TO bones aud glaciers
or any other old vestlge and symbol c
the past and leave literature, polite
and craftsmanship to the sophomores 9
the colleges He may know whole lot
about quartz and so on, but he Is sadl
short on facts and common sense.
We do not say that our Ami is i'm
pertinent. We feel sure that he is dom
his very best,