Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-13
ASK OBSERVANCE.
carnation League Of America
Calls Ate nti on to Flower
Day.
JAN. 20 FALLS ON SUNDAY
Appeal Made fer Wearing of Late
President Mckinley's Favor
tie Blossom.

1
The Carnation League of America calls
! attention TO the day and to the league
and its purposes. The trustees OF the
league are: Hon. George IL. Cortelyou
of Washington. ID. c.; Justice Wllllam
! r. Day. of Canton Ohio: Hon. Charles
wv. Fairbanks, of Indianapolis. Ind. :;
Hon. David r. Francis. of ST. Louis,
Mo: DIR. William r. Harper. of the
University of Chicago; Hon. Myron l.
Herrick. of Cleveland. Ohio; Hon. H.
c. Payne. of Washington. ID. C.; Hon
! Alexander II. Revell. of Chicago. Ill:
! Hon. Ryerson Richie. of Cleveland,
Ohio: Lewis G.. Reynolds, of Dayton,
Ohio. The objects of the league are
/ set forth as follows:
There has been instituted a Mckin-
ley memorial known as The Carnation
League of America, the sole purpose
of which is TO commemorate, annually.
the life and works of William Mckin-
/ ley, and foster national patriotism. HIS
pure. clean private life and distinguish
ed public services mark him as worthy
/ of especial honor The same loyal
impulse that prompted the stopping of
almost all the wheels of industry for
the few moments of his burial has
found annual expression in this simple
tribute instituted by the Carnation
League of America. Ii can be taken
part in by the old and young of either
sex. To wear the presidents favorite
! flower. in the lapel of the coat, or in the
hair, or at the throat, in silent memory
! of a departed public servant, whose
| life was forfeited because he was our
servant. is what is contemplated by this
movement. The fact that the carnation
was the President McKinley's favorite
| flower. and was always found in his
! buttonhole, is the reason for its choice
as Il league symbol, to be worn on each
recurring Doth day of January. the an
! niversary of the late presidents birth.
, The custom was first observed on Jan.
, %, 1893. with the greatest unanimity
| all over the country, and by Americans
all over the world.
| Not Concrete Organization.
IF you are member of record you
will feel all the more interest in the
memorial. No expectation is had, at
present at least, of giving the move
ment the Importance of local organiza-
tons or annual meetings and conven-
tions. but in its quiet, unobtrusive way
. il can be made to WELD an influence
I for good almost incalculable. and will
! foster the spirit of true patriotfsm
| worthy of our country and the man it
seeks To- honor. The highest patriotic
tone does and must dominate it. Any
inhabitant of the United States. male
or female. of school age. is eligible to
membership without the payment of
any fee whatever.
NO commercialism whatever attach
es to this movement. The league is
seeking no funds, and any solicitation
on the part of anybody is spurious and
unauthorized
| Mckinley Day.
On behalf of the trustees the follow
ing with reference to Mckinley day and
its observance has been issued:
January 30, 1905, the anniversary of
the birth of the late President William
Mckinley is approaching, and it falls
upon Sunday.
| "Carnation day" is already recogniz-
ed as being upon the nation calendar
and there is fine opportunity this year
to bring out the patriotic feature of the
memorial.
Ii was suggested by the trustees of
The Carnation League of America" in
an Associated Press telegram several
weeks ago. that the day be observed
by the churches. the Y. NJ. c. A, and
other religious and patriotic organiza-
lions. by having at least portion of
their services on that day appropriate
to this memorial, and the suggestion
has met with universal favor.
The beautiful christian spirit. which
prevailed the private life of William
Mckinley. and marked his death,
makes such an observance of the day
as is proposed for Sunday, Jan %,
1905, peculiarly appropriate from the
viewpoint of the pulpit and the press.
! A people cannot have too many ma
tional days-days commemorative of
brave deeds, and noble lives nobly
lived. because such days can not fail
to instill into the hearts and minds of
the people patriotic thoughts and
/ feelings which go to make a nation
great.
| Fourth Less Significant.
! There was time when the Fourth of
July was much more of a patriotic les
son than il is today. Then great num-
bers of the people gathered together to
listen To the reading of the Declare
ton of independence and the con-
stitution of the United States. and TO
hear from the lips of the best orators
of the day eloquent appeals to their
patriotic sentiments. / should like TO
see a revival of the custom.
| If l were to pronounce a creed for
The Carnation League of America il
would be this: Believing that the fu-
ture greatness of my country can best
be assured by a growth of good citizen
ship among all the people. and that
| good citizenship may be promoted by
/ keeping fresh in our hearts and minds