The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-28
R1cHMOND,s MAYOR.
His Sentiments In Regard TO Flags set
Forth in q Most Attractive way.

To THE EDITOR OF TBR SuS-Sir: have
been the victim Of numerous postal cards
and letters and newspaper clipping 90 since L
dropped a passing remark about flags In the
midst OF O speech which would make q column
or two. I hav noticed none Of these until
l received your very sensible and reasonable
editorial Of March 20, entitled An Interesting
Survival" This was sensible and 90 differ
ent from some other things I have read that
/ thought l would do myself and you the JUS
tice to say this much. even though 1t might
consume u~selessly some OF your precious time.
The report Of what l said was written by
some stenographer, who made evident MS
incompetenoy by his effort to translate MS
notes Into English. For instance, In the little
quotation which you use he makes me speak
of the battle flag Of Virginia" No such nag
ever 1oated-ever existed I have counted
In this stenographlo report perhaps htty
errors, some OF which are grammatical. some
typographical and others errors OF fact.
Some are things l never said. some thin gs as
they were not said. some things which are
absurd, and some which are silly. The stenog-
rapher evidently had diflonlty In reading his
W notes and substituted his own jargon
for my statements. For instance, / hope /
never said amy nation that ever raised or
ever fell" 1 hope also that I never said
anywhere "a nation that knew no graft
dIlOL bnltNt5s ~ nOhiu " % iiol II ~
was not 80 distressing to point out the help
less muddles of this accomplished stenog-
rapher.
Your concluding sentence. which Ia abso-
lutely true, Is in these words: 1T ls safe to
predict that he harbors in his heart no deep
aninosity against the nation and would be
very reluctant to see it suffer any real injury.
Very true; l hope the army will not be mobil-
lied, or the navy increased. and that all
fam ~ anu lp,p,hliata Aanlaraflnn nf war nv
me may be dissipated. The association which
| addressed was the Southern Ice Exchange.
Everybody talked about the deslrabillty OF
building UP the Industries, the manufactures.
the enterprise and the business OF the South
and Virginia. and probably what / meant by
saying Il recognize but two flags" was one
way of saying that my interest. and my devo-
ton, and my hopes were indissolubly asso-
ciated with my State and the South.
/ had the honor of making the acquaintance
Of the Star Spangled Banner before many OF
my critics we're old enough TO recognize 1t II
they met II In the street. and / would like to
relieve these anxious people OF any unneoes-
sary labor by informing them that / am not
in need OF any missionary work whatever.
] had the pleasure a few months ago OF giv-
ing an order for II, 900 Star ang led Ban
ners, and further. the pleasure OF suggesting
that these be put in the hands Of IL 900 school
children Of Richmond that they might greet
the President with the rustic and color and
sentiment OF countless waving emblems OF
| the greatness and beneflcenoe OF our ooun-
try. I freely intertwine in my office the
| Star Span gled Banner and the battle flag OF
the Confederacy. and thus acknowledge my
affectlonate devotion to one and my respect
| and regard for the other. l have no doubt
that I would be moro prompt to meet q for
| eign foe with the Star Span gled Banner than
many of these anxious idiots who are tearing
their hair over a passing remark, AS TO the
Confederate battle flag. these words which fol-
low about express my sentiments toward II;
Liz the lingering charm OF a dream that 10 fed:
The roses breath. when the rose Is dead
The echo that lives, when the tune Ia done;
Sunset glores that follow the sun:
Everything tender. and everything fair,
! That was and Is not. yet stills there,
A very dear friend Of mine. now departed,
| who was an unusually intelligent and thought
full man, and was also a constant reader of
THE Sun, often told me that he regarded II
as the most able, Instructive. valuable. clean
and useful paper in America. and was par
ticularly charmed W it'll the fact that The T.
would print whatever came to II that was
sensible and valuable. even though in conflict
with the particular views OF the paper itself.
| And so ! have taken the time to write you
| this, believing that II may interest yon suf1-
ciently to print It. If so. l am agreeable, and
II not, | shall not grieve.
CARLTON MCCARTHY.
CRY HALL, Richmond, Va, March "a.