The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1905-03-16

uih W'th bho VI tdAy bHhO
raised the poor little emblem in their
prison and cleered till forced to be sil.
ent and what fnr9 Not for the
United State. not for our Independ-
eDce Day that was naught to them.
they clIeerel for liberty, nnd that was
the banner to them, ih all the world,
that repr, scuted 1t.
1t is satire on American patriot
ism, ana spot on our history, that 80
sacred, so glorious banner, should
ever have been permitted to be 30 des-
eorated as to be used as an advertising
medium, as it was but few years
ago. Think of the banner for which
our forefathers and our fathers, our
brothers have dled-the banner un-
der which thirteen little oppressed
aud struggling ooIoniss have become
one OF the greatest of the nations OF
the earth-the banner, which, as
Henry Ward Beecher said, carries
American ideas, American feeling,
American history" and which as he
most beautifully added-"has, In it's
insignia, gathered and stored this su-
preme idea-"Divlne right Of liberty
in man." Think Of that banner an
nouncing a new baking powder, or
acting as advance courier of show
Thanks to the Daughters Of the
American Revolution" the hallowed
ensign has been rescued by law from
such unhallowed use, but it seems to
me there is still some need for lessons
in reverence for dear "Old Glory"
Only last Christmastide we had our
patriotic nerves set aouiver, by an
lncidentt occurring in an Ohio city.
We attended a Christmas cantata Civ
en- by Sabbath school, and were de-
lighted too with the music and, with
all save, this one inoident-hrstly,
"Old Glory" seemed out Of place
doing duty as curtain, but when, at
the signal for beginning, it was al
lowed to drop to the floor and disap-
pear. Whether it went in a hole, or
was allowed to remain on the floor,
we could not see, but-well, l
thought of Sergeant Jasper, and
then, 1 thought of another, the color
bearer who, falling on the field OF
battle, fatally wounded, with tremb-
ling, dying arm, held up the flag and
gasLed hurry up boys, she amt
touched ground yet" Can We think
of this and then let it fall to the floor
or even drag ON the floor or ground
without excuse?
The flag should never be displayed,
except in the place Of highest honor.
If we decorate our homes with IL,
place 1t OH high to be gazed on with
pride and reverence, never make it do
duty as portIere or screen, and above
all, learn from the army and navy,
that it must never touch ground or
the. floor. 1 wish l might quote many
things from the eloquent address Of
! Captain HobsOn at Buffalo, on Flag
Day 1901. He shows in what rever.
enoe, the flag is held byss the men who
fight our battles at sea- He describes
the hosting OF the oolors in the morn.
Ing and their hauling uown in the
evening. He says: upon the first
note of the bugle, every man on deek
jumps to his feet faces aft, salutes the
flag, and waits attention, till the SOL
emn ceremony is ended - He says,
"watch these men, standing with
breathless attention and you can
catch glimpse of the spirit and se'
the stirring within, that tells beyont
the expression of any words tbt
depths of reverence and devotion +,
the flag" ~
In the following he gives an incl
dent of his midshipman days. o.
a fete day in Corfu, off the coast O
Turkey, we came on deck in tn
! morning, and looked out over tn
, flag dressed city. We saw on on
. of the holsts on the city's hag-poIe
the United States flag, half way u
: among other flags. Admiral Wake
instantly sent All officer ashore. to IN
form the authorities, that the Unite
Q States flag could not remain half wa
. up, If used at all, it must be on top.
Heads, 81 remember how we fel
. that No flag shall fly above ths
ons Then, however, he mo-
. beautifully records one exception
:, and the fact OF this exception, Is elc
- quent, more so than any wore
% which could be used to tell it.
- Is this: On Sunday morning on q
: American fleet, when YOU hear Il
bell begin to toll for Divine servio
- You will see the flag lowered q bi
" and the church pennant hoisted abo
. it. The red Cross, on white gr; un
- emblem that our nation 10 q Ohrista
" nation, and bows its head in humiIi
before the Divine Presence.
~ y, An! "Old Glory" we will Iva
you there, beneath the only bann
=, in all the world, which we are wi
~ ing shall feat over you.
"Raise our lovely banner high
10 Mornings crimson glory
al Field as blue, as Gods own sky.
it. AND every star story"
eir And, while flags may come, a