The National tribune., 1904-06-09
NAQ DAY.

11AW OA8s
Next Tuesday, June IA, will be Flag
Day. the 18TH anniversary of the adoption
of the Flag which has become the fore
most in the world. and which floats over
S0,OOO,OO0 people in the United States,
and eight or ten million more in the islands
of the Pacific. The day has been properly
set apart as holiday. and every year shows
a wider observance of it, particularly in the
schools of the country. This is as it should
be- The American Flag, besides being the
oldest in the world, represents everything
that is American in a way that no other
flag symbolizes to the people the institu-
tions of their country.
Until within comparatively recent times,
countries have not had a National Flag.
They had one flag to represent the reign
ing family, which was the banner of the
House then on the throne. From the fac
tional troubles which continually afflicted
those countries it could be- nothing more
than the standard of those who happened to
be in power. We have seen this illustrated
in France, where the "Legitimists," "Or-
leanists,' "Bonapartists" and Republicans
each one with different flag, were con-
tending for the government of the country.
Whichever party had been successful would
have raised its flag to represent it. 1t will
be remembered that the late Count de
Chambord failed to ascend the throne of
France because he would not doff the white
banner of the Bourbons, and take in its
place the tri-color, which has been identi-
fed with so much. French glory. In addi-
tion to the flag representing the royal
house, these countries had another flag for
the army, one for the navy, one for the
merchant marine, and so on.
Our flag is the oldest flag in the world
to-day which began by representing every
thing that is American. 1t not only means
but always has meant the President, Con-
gress, Judiciary, and merchantmen who
sail the wide seas, but it means all Amer
lean men and women, no matter in what
engaged. 1t means our schools and churches
and colleges just as much as our army and
navy. Everything under its glorious shadow
is a part of the wonderful whole for which
it stands.
1t is the only flag in the world, too, for
which no apology need be made, no defense
or extenuation set up. In all its 127 years
of vigorous life it has invariably stood for
the very best that the imagination of man
could conceive. 1t has stood for the high
est liberty, the most absolute justice, the
most elevated morality. Though in its 127
hnp lnI sfs
a greater area of the worlds surface than
Rome governed in her proudest days, yet
there has been upon it absolutely no blem-
ish of conquest, spoliation or oppression.
1t has been like the glorious light of the
sun, which brings peace, life, fertility and
growth, and all that follows the vivifying
effects of it's beneficent light.
Much the grandest in its SYM
bolism of power of any flag which floats
in all the breezes which encircle the globe,
its sublimer aspect is in the moral and SEN
timental ideas it represents. 1t was first
set as a sermon in the skies for Justice.
Equality. and Righteousness for all men.
Never for moment has there been any
variableness or shadow of turning in that
meaning. Over 100000 men have died
to make that meaning prevail to the utter
most This is shown by the pure aspira-
tions of the men who have maintained it
and have died to keep it true and high in
the heavens. 1t is therefore the most
sacred flag in the world, because of the
signification given it by the hearts blood
of these myriads Of high-souled men.
1t is flag of pride. Never in its 127
years has it gone down in defeat, never has
it receded from one foot of ground put un-
der its control. All the other flags which
attempt to follow with it have had their
seasons of shame and disaster. Most of
them are in comparison with it mere mush-
rooms. coming up in the place of others
which have been swept away, because asso-
ciated with the wrongs of unhappy far
off times.
But our Flag, though having trials such
as the others could not have endured, has
fioated through all these decades in the
unblemished sunlight of triumph and sue
cess.
Let us, therefore, devote at least a por-
ton of next Tuesday to the praise and
honor of the oldest, the proudest, the most
victorious and most powerful banner
which the sun greets in his daily march
round the globe.