The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-15
THE FLAG DECLINED.

What is called the nag INCIDENT 10 At.
tracing much attention from the news
papers. \ A young lady, of Boston, OF
French descent, Marie CoHteau BY name.
spent days ana weeks In making an elabo-
rate flag Of the United States, which
when finished In the highest type OF the
needlewomans art, was sent by her ~ q
present to the President. How shocked
she was may be "better imagined than
described" when the preferred SIT was
| returned to her, through the hands ZOE
the Presidents secretary, Accompany
inr the flag upon Its return was the tol-
flowing explanation:
Ut beg to state that while tho Presi-
dent greatly appreciates your courtesy
| In sending him the enclosure which YOU
| forwarded he has felt obliged TO aoopt
| a rule which precludos him from accept
1 ing present from any one.
The young lady seems to have lost her
| temper and said spltetul things when
she found that her gift was rejected. IN
her resentment she said 1t looked like
etraining at a gnat ind swallowing q
camel for the President to accept the
uso of a special railroad train for weeks
but to draw the line on a flag made oy
a patriotic American girl. However II
seems that this gift. was made the &C.
CASTOR by tie President to announce
policy which will be generally approved
; by the public,
It is to be regretted that the Zine"
/ had ito be drawn upon OF girl and
J. upon such anssinoffenslve present as q
United States mag, but the policyS enun-
, ciated Is good onc 8a II S II
, For some weeks past the New York
Sun has been caustlcally commenting up
on tho President, because he made at
3 taoks upon the great railroad corporations
i at tho very time heSSwas their guest
i when he was enjoying the, hospitality OF a
: special train, equipped with all the COM
s forts OF bed and board OF the Waldorf
K Astoria Hotel. This ''deadheading" pro-
n ceedng OF the President the Sun has
h played upon time and again,
j, The Boston flag Incident may be con.
j. sidered as an answer to the SUMS criti-
6 cism, but 1t is further said by friends
]. In behalf Of Mr. Roosevelt. that In &C
a cepting the courtesies OF the railroad com
k paries in his tour to the Northwest h
Is only carried out program which had beer
% arranged by his predecessor in office,
$. The insinuatlng. got inc!sive, editorials
in the New York Sun must be YER
,r CALLING to tho President 1t ist Re
1t publican paper and perhaps he oounte
n upon It's hearty support In his campaigl
IN for reelection For all We know the Su
may support him, but. we daresay, 1t
IN making him very unhappy just now Tn
p. gravamen Of its charge against hin
10 Is that the President by his assault
go upon trusts and securities companies ha
o, injured the business OF the country
~ and it holds him up to rdoue for bein
$. such DISTINGUISHED patriot while he wa
is receiving costly favors from the railroa
RS company
he Henceforth We presume the Presiden
will accept gifts from nobody 1t ma
Is be assumed that the rule laid down
o. the flag incident applies to everythin
of in the form OF u donation. Rhode islam
IL, has always furnished the turkey for tn
is Presidents Thanksgiving dinner, But
is some of our contemporaries argue tina
ed even that small donaton-but big turkey
'at Will not be received In the future,
tly The judicial minded Philadelphia Ledg
hat sums up the flag incident as follows:
the AS for those personal gifts which hay
BILE. been pouring In from the President
ca admirers. they Will cease; Mr., Rooseye
=, has stopped them, still It Is unfortuna
'e that Mr.. Roosevelt should have ohos,
we'd the offer of gift Of such beautiful pr
ON priety as national flag, wrought by Il
MD fingers OF poor girl, who made patriot
sacrifices to furnish the President VIII
~ she deemed would please him There
a sentiment about nag which does n
the attach to special trains nor to gift sa
dad die horses, It might almost seem to
the one thing that President migl
W with perfect honor accept.
py True. II he would not accept q
WIZ he would not accept anything, Proba
VIII that Ia the information he wishes to &C
oW- vey by this Incident
lp'1 Observation-Disclosures
in THE PITTSYLVANlA CASE,