The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-15


 cises arranged by General sumpter Chap ter, D. A. R., in celebration of flag day, were carried out yesterday afternoon without any change from the published programme.
 The Daughters assembled at o'clock at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Twelfth street. where the exercises were held. They were most impressive, and were opened with a prayer by the Rev. Sterling B. Foster, pastor of the South Highland Presbyterian church. The beau tiful ritual of the Daughters added to the solemnity of the occasion, the ritual lead by the chapter regent, Mrs. John w. Tom linson. This was followed by the solo Home, Sweet Home" beautifully sung by the well-known young soprano, Miss Lena Jackson. She was in perfect voice The inspiring ceremony. the raising of the flag. one of the most thrilling cere- monies in the world was accomplished successfully, the Daughters singing with great enthusiasm. "The Star Spangled Banner" and at the same time waving innumerable small flags.
 An original poem "Old Glory" was read by Mrs. A. ]. Riddle, and this was followed by solo, Alabama, by Miss Jackson.
 MT. Joseph B. Babb, managing editor or the Evening News, and the speaker for the afternoon was introduced by the Rev. MT. Poster. MT Babb's brilliant address. which appears in full below, was deeply patriotic and eloquent with the spirit of liberty and loyalty Following his address there was a most impressive prayer by the Rev. MT. Foster, and inc exercises closed by the Daughters singing "Ameri- ca" The following is MT. Babb's address,:
 Mir. Babb's Address.
 When beneath the patient and loving eyes of General Washington the proto- type of wonder flag was eagerly woven by the delft fingers of that ardently pa trotic woman Betsy Ross, It was beyond the prescience of human kind to foresee the metamorphosis the years should work in the nation then struggling to be free, nor was It granted to know the trials and the triumps, the struggles and the splen- dore. the future would unfold.
 Washington lived to see the flag wave above the blood-stained snow of Valley Forge. cheering the dropping spirits of the brave but weary worn Continentals, and he lived to gaze upon 1t proudly, when it flashed above the humiliated head of the conquered Cornwallis He lived to hear the ensign welcomed by the world as the emblem of a nation which had extended the boundaries of human rights and made of government an instrument of the peoples will instead of an artifice for a peoples oppression. He lived to re- spond to his country's call to uphold the at-- T. threatened dishonor. But when the flow CT of American greatness was yet In the bud the Father of His Country's flag answered the eternal summons, the sword was sheathed never more to flash rom scabbard and that pure and patriotic heart was to throb no more beneath the Stars and Stripes he loved and served so well.
 The Spirit of Washington.
 The spirit of Washington, that spirit which was shared by his illustrtous com patriots in the cause of liberty, that spirit which inspired the Declaration Of lnde- pendence and famed from the musKet- mouths of the Minute Men was blest with the gift of immortality and is not to pass away until the last bead is told upon the rosary of time The promptings Of thal spirit have caused this day-the annlVer- sary of the adoption of the flag by the continental congress-to be designated as Flag Day and to be observed with ap- propriate ceremonies.
 It Is fitting that this celebration should be under the auspices of the descendants of those sturdy patriots whose achieve ments first shed the glorious light or heroism upon the American flag. The sweep of time as it winnows the chait from the grain brings to the American people a deepening sense of the obliga- ton they owe to those self-sacriicing, liberty y-loving, death -defying patriots who builded so well for national greatness and wrought so enduringly for national glory. It is a happy custom to dedicate one day to the American flag, and to dwell for a brief space upon the inspiring ln- cidents this anniversary suggests. AS we look upon "Old Glory" floating there, through misty vision, we can behold in fancy the spirit forms of the myriad heroes who sought no greater privilege than to die around that staff. We can see it gleaming in triumph with It's thlr- teen stars when but an infant this repub- lie dared defy the then most powerful na- | tion of all the world. We can see the in trepid American sailor beneath 1t snatch from Great Britain the supremacy of the seas. We can hear the exultant cheers of Jacksons s men as they vlndicated the superiority of American arms. We be- hold it as 1t waved above the pioneer en- gagged in conquering the solitude and win ming the wilderness to civilization. We see the naughty Santa Anna, vanquished bend beneath it upon the sun-parched plains of Mexico. Out from the charne house of civil conflict we see 1t coming to float above reunited people. Wt behold it as 1t waves on Moro castle and we see Dewey as he wins imperishable fame beneath It's folds. There Seargeant Jasper and Lieutenant Hobson meet In kndship of heroism, and in the light of its gleaming stars we behold the ghost ly legions that have unfalteringly march ed into the jaws of death as blithely as a groom goes to greet his bride.
 Greatness of Country.
 But the grandeur of the nation which pays homage to that flag is not in mar tial achievements, great and glorious though they are, but the true greatness of our country is in its free institutions. Nor is the strength of this nation In floating fortresses and standing army, but in its loyal citizenship ever ready to lay sacrifice of blood and treasurer upon their eountry's altar.
 Our revolutionary forefathers did more than free the colonies. They stayed the ruthless march of tyranny and loosened the shackles upon fettered men in every cline. They made democracies out of monarchies and transformed sceptres, thrones and coronets into mere husks of authority. They did more than found a republic. They set in motion an irres- tible idea, so that today. even the despot immured in the stronghold of .the Roman offs must hear and heed when the cata- .,,tt ,f 4,.l1 .f,.f.. |,