Evening journal., 1903-05-08
WORKING FOR
THE COLUMB|NE
Efforts Being Made to Make
1t Our National Flower.
The Requirements
SCHOOLS INTERESTED IN PROJECT

was started in Boston in 1896 to bring
about the official adoption OF the
columlbine as the national flower or the
United States. has now a membership
OF 1900. In the summer OF the year
Hf It's organization It's first thousand
members were es.-elied. and among
them were artists, writers, horticultur-
lists and bontanists In various parts of
the country. Since then the sgbject has
been taken up with entt tusiasm bv lee
turers, clubs and patriotic organizations
and the cause is making headway in
the schools.
The columbine idea has been found
by teachers in its many aspects partic-
ularly valuable as an inspiring topic
In olass work, and in certain schools
arrangements have been made to have
the consideration of Columbia's floral
emblem form an important feature OF
exhibition exercises.
james Sturgis Pray. of Boston, sec
retary of the Columbine Association,
said the other day regarding the moves
ment:
The Columbine Association contin-
uas to grow steadily in numbers and
still more in influence Our campaign
or education has been increasingly osn-
H1ed forward. and our candidates posi-
ton end prospects are stronger than
rhey have ever been.
THE process is at best slow one,
which, however, matters less and less
as il becomes more and more certain
OF success. The association still main
tains that the actual question OF adop-
tion should not be brought before Con-
gress until popular enthusiasm for the
columhne shall have reached such a
point that it becomes a natural and
reasonable step. The act should ex-
press the win of the people.
Or course, no one can predict how
early under these conditions this act
will come. but that it will come the
eolumbine supporters have good reason
now to be more than ever confident
People are coming more and mors
to realize that any flower, to serve
wc-thiiy as our national floral emblem.
should meet the nine fundamental con-
ditions established by the national
floral convention, held in Asheville. n.
e., in October, 1898, a convention COM
posed OF representatives from the diff
ferent States, appointed by the Cover
nors to represent those States.
1T is an extraordinary fact. to be
confirmed by anyone who will take the
trouble to go through our national
FORA eliminating one after another
every genus that fails to fulfil any
one on. more Of these nine fundamental
conditions, that the columbine alone
among all flowers fulfills all the condi-
tions. Not only this, however; it full
nils them to so extraordinary a degree
that it, indeed. would appear to have
been created or evolved for our ma
tional purpose.
The columbine, standing as il does
at once for peace and power. the peace
that makes for power and the power
that makes for peace. associates itself
not only with the greatest events OF
our national history thus far and the
ideals fer which we stand before the
other nations Of the world. but with
important new events of national mo-
ment as they come along.
Thus, among recent happenings. the
assuming of the Panama Canal. it,
construction and future control sby tn,
United States in intimate relation with
Colombia, links Colombia with CoIun.
bia. the two countries OF the New
Wogld bearing the name Of its grea
diseoverer. thereby giving new signifi
cance to our title. Columbia. and co
lumbia's flower. the columlbine"
The columbine is advocated as tn,
national flower because it fills the fol
Lowing fundamental conditions for
national floral convention in Ashe-
vile, N. c., in October, 1898.
It should be a native of the United
States and should grow wild over TIL
greater part Of its area.
Ii should bloom on one or more. 0
our national holidays, should be capa
BILE of easy cultivation in any garde'
and should not be weed or in any wa,
offensive or harmful to health.
1t should bear what in the popala
sense is oallef a flower, and should no
be merely foliage Plant, or one CHIEF
ly valued for its fruit
II should lend itsef readily to flora
decoration by variety and purity q
color and distinctlveness Of form.
The features characteristic OF il
form should combine such simplicit
and gracefulness that when used cor
ventionally in decorative design th
flower may be readily recognized indt
pendently of its color.
1t should be flower which has nev'
been used by any other people as the
floral emblem and not such a flower
general form
Z 1t. should also possess, If pcssib.
patriotic associations, plainly connec
ing il with the best for which OF
country stands among the nations
the world.
In behalf of the columbine II is urg'
that few native plants are so wide
distributed as it is in its various form
N Excepting comparatively small regi'
4 about the lower Mississippi. colur
bines are known to occur wild in eve
State of the Union, from the Atlan'
to the Pacific. and from Canada
the Gulf.
AS to the special associations, wnl
this plant has with our country. I
flowers very name suggests Column
Tho name Columbus in his native Ia