The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-16
ron A xATloNAL soNe.


 Again the perennial agitation for 9 National Song is on. Secretary Bona Hparte is entreated to offer prize for an air and words that will be typically and wholly American. The Star spansIed Banner" is faulty in some re- spects; America" is a sort of orphan and no one seems to know whether the time is French, English. German or something else. Even our own soul- stirring Dixie" has some faults which render it unitted for a national song. But when we come down to hard pan. ,how can we get a purely American song? American citizenship is such compilation, so to speak. of all nation- alities under the sun, that we some times think we have no genuine Amer jeans except the Indians. and they are fast becoming cosmopolitan and will eventually lose their Individuality. If a committee of experts could agree on the air and words of national song, and limit competition to American citi- zens. the successful composer would far more than likely be of foreign parent age than of strictly American descent. admitting that we have some who are entitled to be classed as strictly Ameri- can products. A national song com posed and written by a man whose pa- rents immigrated to the United States wouldn't be what we might fairly call American. In short, any song that might be composed would be combina- ton of all nationalities.
 But if a prize is offered we may at once expect the Cutters. the Kooglers and other inspired and soulful songsters to proceed. to get busy. The prize would be worth a good deal to the writer, but it would bear no compari- son to the fact that his name would nal fame and be written and spoken by admiring readers for all future time. There is the great incentive. To the poet who is on his uppers the prize-that would probably be given in hard cash would be an Important matter. but the certainty of the fame to follow suc- cess would be something far beyond mere money. This is what will stir them up, and some of them are already at it. One Cutter has perpetrated a few lines. the first one being, "As forth drove along the road" That at once brings to mind soulful song that was current in camps during the great war. the first stanza running thus:
 As I went up the new-cut road
 She came down the lane,
 I met her at the corner
 Says l. Git along, Liza Jane.
 We don't offer that as a competing effort, because we don't remember the author. but MT. Cutters opening line naturally recalled the other. Then there is one Koogler, or Koogleman. who has donned his poetic cap and bells and gotten off verse or two, beginning: "Rise, crowned with fire, American eagle. rise." and several more of the same sort. We rather think that will catch 'em. The object-or one of the objects, of national song is to in- spire patriotism and arouse the lighting blood of all true Americans. and we can hardly think of anything more likely
 
 to make a soldier fight than to see the American eagle -ising from the earth with crown of fire encircling his head-provided 1t didn't cause him to take to his heels. It would be likely to have that effect on some, but to others 1t would be like the fiery cross sent out by the leaders of the ancient Scots to warn and assemble the clans men for war. Eagles wearing fiery crowns would stir things up.
 We really think Secretary Bonaparte should offer a prize and select a com potent committee to assort, sift and weigh the compositions that will be sent in by the hundreds. Not that we think such committee would be likely 70 make a correct selection, or that the one selected would be accepted and adopted as the American National Hymn, but that we have considerable curiosity as to the outcome of such a contest.