The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-06-13
FIay Day And Its Meaning.


The celebration OF Flag day tomor-
row in the twin territo-iespromises TO be
more widely observed than ever before
since its institution as one OF the great
patriotic days on the nations yearly call
cndar Most OF the patriotic and veter-
an organizations Ia Oklahoma Will OBJ
serve the day In some manner.
Peter A. Becker the department COM
mander OF TIE @. A. r. has issued a
proclamation asSing the people Of she
territories to observe the day. and the
rational @. A. r., has requested de-
partment commanders everywhere 10
have the day observed G. A. r. posts.
Women's Relief Corps and the Ladies
OF the G. A. x. have been called upon
TO make special observance OF the day
Throughout the territories and the
mayors Of the cities are asked 70 issue
proclamatlons calling the peoples at
tention to It's observance.
The fourteenth day Of June. this year,
VII mark the i2oth anniversary of the
birth Of the stars ana stripes. The idea
Of celebrating the anniversary of the
adoption OF the American flag June IA,
as Flag Day" originated with Jonathan
r. Morris. OF Hartford. Conn. In 1861
Mr.. Morris secured the presentation 70
congress OF resolution setting forth
tho idea but the resolution failed to
carry In 1880 Nj Morris proposed the
idea TO the Society Of the Connecticut
Sons Of the American Revolution. Of
which he was an honored member, and
Il was adopted by that organization.
Subsequently Il was presented to the
National Society Of the Sons Of the
American Revolution By Luclus =. Dem
ing, Of New Haven. aud was by that
body approved and recommended 70 al
It's state societies. Since 1880 the OBJ
4ervance OF Flag Day" "a the Uaitsd
States has been almost general Presi-
dent Roosevelt has lent his wholesoul
sympathy 10 its observance and has
greatly furthered the scope OF the ex-
ercises which mark the day
History Of the Flag.
Al the beginning Of the great fevolu-
tiomry war. the same as az the begin-
ming Of the great civil war. II took
about two years before the American
people could comprehend the magnitude
OF the issue. and learn what under tho
guidance Of providence The war really
meant
During the first two years that WASH.
iugJon was commander-in -chief. the
American colonies felt the need Of "a
common nag 70 any longer uphold the
British hag meant slavery.
Freedom aud Independence would de-
mand a different symbol. III tAe month
OF December, lT7s. benjamin Franklis,
Benjamin Harrison and Thomas Lynch,
Jr were sent as committee 20 Cam
bridge. Mass. 20 confer with General
Washington with "a view OF recommends
ing 70 congress for adoption some kind
Of aesign for q flag
The result was thar on the 2id day
of January. 1876. nag of aiteraate red
and white stripes o. equal width, which
for centuries preceding had been IA the
cont Of arms OF tGe Washipgton family.
was fgised az Wafhintows heatnnar-
iers a. Cambridge Mass
Ia that nag appeared thirteen stripes,
just as they appear m the aag today; but
u also had the crosses OF George and
81 Andrew on the blue field in the up
per loft ahnd corner
onlciai Adoption.
The first recorded legislative action,
by tie American congress HI session al
Philadelphia. Pa. for the adoption Of
the stars and stripes. was IN resolution
offered saturday June H. 1871 as fol-
lows;
Resolved. that the nag OF the thir-
teen united States be thirteen stripes
alternate red ana white; that the uaion
be thirteen strars. white Ia o. blue field