Rock Island Argus., 1902-06-04
FLAG DAY APPEAL
American Association Asks Cen
eraI Observance of the
Event.
EXTENSION OF PATRIOTIC PRACTICE
Mayor Requested TO Call Upon Citi.
zens To Cele-
brate.

New York City, y. V, May 16
1902.-To the Mayor of Each Ameri-
can City. American Press, Officers
and Members of all American Patri-
otic Societies. School Officers and
School Teachers, and Fellow Citizens:
The American Flag association de
sires again to call the attention of
all our fellow citizens, young and
old. TO the approach of Flag day,
June IA. 1902, and earnestly To solicit
far more general and enthusiastic
celebration than any yet Witnessed.
The 18th of June has come to be
called Flag day by the patriotic citi-
zens of this country, because on that
date, i'm 1777. congress enacted:" That
the flag of the 13 United States be I3
stripes, alternate red and white;
that the union be 13 stars, white i'm
a blue field. representing new con
stellation." With the admission of
new states the number of stripes
were increased, and then uawned up
on our fathers the certain future eX-
pansion of our country, and the orig
inal 13 stripes were nchangeablv re-
stored April 4, 1918, when it was en-
after the 4th day of July next. the
flag of the United States be Is hori-
zontal stripes. alternate red and
white; that the union be 20 stars.
white i'm "a blue field. and that on the
admission of a new state into the un-
ion one star be added To the union of
the flag; and that such addition take
effect on the 4th of July next sue
ceeding such admission" Since 1918
star after star has been added as
state after state has been added TO
the union. until we now number - in
all.
New Meaning tn Flag.
The civil war of 1S6I-5 gave new
meaning TO our flag. IL had had rev
erence before for the sake of revoIu-
tionary memories. Since that Strug-
gle to perpetuate the union as indis-
soluble, it has become the symbol of
n mighty nation. Later yet. as a Sc
quence to the Spanish-American war,
waged for the sake of humanity and
civilization and liberty, il has been
carried To the uttermost parts of the
earth. the herald of civilization. not
that of the dark ages. nor of the
times that tolerated cruelty and OPP
preston. 1t carries the promise of
the blessing of freedom wherever it
has been thrown to the breeze. No
American can fail of feeling pride
and satisfaction. nor restrain the
swelling of patriotism i'm the breast.
when he contrasts the circumstances
and the promises manifested to dis
tant peoples in distant lands when
ours and other flags have been dis
played together.
The day of our self-respect has
come, and the people are looking 10
God in confidence for the blessing
that He always bestows upon the
hearts and lives of men who dare to
defend the oppressed.
The stars and stripes now possess
new beauty for friendly eyes and
new terror for the foes of liberty.
Event OF Note.
We earnestly eXhnrt our citizens to
join i'm making the celebration of
Flag day this year. 1902. an event of
note. Let us all see that the stars
and stripes, with all they mean. shall |
on June IA. 1902. greet the rising and |
salute the setting sun; see that the |
flag flies from every church edifice. |
school and public building, and from |
every private dwelling, however hum |
BILE, throughout the entire land.
The public schools. some as requir- |
ed by law. but none the less heartily, !
also i'm private schools. exercises will |
be conducted i'm celebration of Flag |
day. We urge the extension of this |
patriotic practice. Let MS he CRATE
ful and thus express our gratitude
at this hopeful omen for the future
of our American institutions, that
the generation of youth now fitting
for usefulness will be generation
schooled III patriotism.
We appeal to.all to whom this let
ter shall come to aid i'm setting forth
this cause.
We beg that each mayor of city
will officially call upon his citizens
We beg every editor and publisher
Of our influential public press to set
forth the cause. We beg all school
officers to call upon all teachers and
scholars to join.
The officers and members of our
patriotic societies certainly will not
De slow to spread the invitation. We
appeal to school officers and school
and all our patriotic peo-
Die and public officials. the young.
md those who train them. and all our
'ellow-citizens. We call upon you to
celebrate the day. each one, in the
way he can best serve, and have a
part in celebrating Flag day. 1902.
RALPH E. PRIME,
President.
EDWARD HAGAMAN HALL.