Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-16
THE FLAG DAY CONCERT
g. A. r. CELEBRATION AN
ARTISTIC SUCCESS.
Notable Musical Offerings by Marine
Band, Chorus Of eco Children
and Others-Three Addresses.

A concert of exceptional merit musically,
and of extraordinary interest In view of
the special occasion which it commence
rated, occurred at the Columbia Theater
Saturday night. 1t was planned by the cit
liens executive committee the G. A. R.
encampment for the double purpose of af
fording a general opportunity to observe
Flag day and of contributing to the enter
tainment fund Of the encampment commit
tees The attendance was unfortunately SO
small that the concert seemed to fulfill
neither OF these purposes, but the enter
tainment was artstically a most pro-
nounced success.
In preparation for this concert special
chorus of 200 school children practiced and
learned half a dozen patriotic hymns These
were all rendered Saturday evening to the
accompaniment of the Marine Band and
under the leadership of Lieut.. W. H. San
telmann, leader of the band. The effect
was superlatvely good. No better chorus
singing of that character has been heard in
Washington in years. The band performed
several concert numbers, sufficient in them
selves to draw large audience at good
prices in any other city. The Apollo Quar-
tet, consisting of Messrs. w. D. McFar
land, Perry B. Turpin, Gabriel Johnston
and Walter ]. Humphrey, sang admirably
the Dudley Buck arrangement of Annie
Laurie The one other musical feature of
tHe evening aroused the aadfence TO a DEM
onstration of notable enthusiasm-the rem
dition of THE Star Spangled Banner" by
Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes Through three
verses of that national patriotic air the au
dience stood and listened eagerly, and at
it's conclusion applause indicated that,
small as it was, the audience entered fully
into the spirit of Flag day.
Appropriate Addresses.
The addresses were not numerous, but
were all exceptionally fitting and de-
cidedly interesting. Commissioner Henry B.
F. Macfarland, president of the board of
District Commissioners. presided and spoke
with marked effect. Mr. B. F. Bingham,
commander of the Department of the Po-
tomac G. A. R., and Mrs. Ida A. Oldroyd,
president of the local division of the Wo-
mans Relief Corps, outlined the history of
their respective orders Other addresses
were to be delivered by Senator John c.
Spooner of Wisconsin and Representative
George A. Pearre of Maryland, but both
were unable to attend.
Mr. Macfarlands address follows:
A cracked piece of bronze. commercially
a piece of junk drew $4,000 of US to the
Pennsylvania railroad station last Monday
Yes, but it was the old Liberty Bell the voice
and symbol of the revolution, and priceless
in our eyes, so that tears and kisses, as
well flowers. fell upon it.
A piece of bunting. beautiful with stripes
and stars, but cheap in the markets, has
drawn all hearts to itself today. Yes
but it is the flag of our country. the sign
of its greatness and its glory, the emblem
of it's power and benefcence. And so all
over the land its birthday is celebrated
with joy and pride For the advancing
waves of materialism have not drowned
sentiment, and most of us are still idealists
at heart. However immersed we may be in
practical affairs, however eager in our or
binary pursuits, we have still thought for
our highest interests, and still time for
spiritual life as individuals and as a nation
Where there is no vision the people perish.
and we shall go the way of Athens and of
Rome, of Ninevah and Tyre, when We cease
to see the invisible or to love the eternal.
Flag Days True Character.
Flag day, therefore, though it may never
be a holiday, is holy day. On it we see
life whole, and know ourselves to be more
than money makers and money spenders
On that day the flag speaks to us more
clearly than ever of the heroic self-sacrifice
and splendid devotion of the founders, the
builders, the preserVers, the defenders OF
the great republic. 1t reminds us of all
the noble men and women, known and I'M
known, who, in their appointed places, small
or great, gave themselves by living or by
dying for our dear country. 1t is not only
the wonderful history of our progress and
prosperity in the last century and quarter,
unexampled in the record of the world,
that we see in the folds of the flag which
stlrs u.s. but it Is rather the untold story
of the patriotism of men, women and chill
dren which has made all the rest possible.
1t is this which brings the tear to the eye
and the lump into the throat. 1t is this
which moves up to high resolution and
nobler endeavor.
We feel that it is not enough that the
United States now stands in wealth and
power at the forefront Of the nations, with
no real danger from foes without, and with
boundess possibilities for material growth.
We feel that we must also have the spirit
80 o,,l o,,I % ha cv1iri h trt
freed the nation; the spirit which freed the
slave; the spirit which freed the oppressed
in the islands Of the sea without counting
the cost in money or in men. 1t is well
that we have here tonight not only the flag
but men who bore 1t to victory and glory in
our last two wars, as the representatives
of the mighty hosts who gave up everything
for the republic.