The National tribune., 1906-05-31


the new Navy to float the changed Flag.
and she carried 1t to Tripoli and planted
the Flag over Fortress Derne in 1905.
the first time the Stars and Stripes ever
waved over an old world fortress.
The Flag was first carried to Smyrna
in 1897. and made it's first appearance
on the Great Lakes the same year In
1900 the George Washington anchored
under the walls Of Constantinople. and
flung out the Star Spangled Banner.
much to the distress of the Turks. who
had never heard Of the new Nation.
The Flag went to China around the
Cape Of Good Hope in 1914. 1t made
it's first appearance in the West Indies
in 1845. 1t went across the continent
1t was carried into Palestine I'm 1848.
In 1886 the Star Spangled Banner en-
tered the closed port Of Sebastapol.
April 1. 1913, the Flag. by order OF
Congress. was altered again. taking the
Is stripes and a star for each State as
1t should come in. 1t has never been
changed since. except to add to the
constellation OF stars.
Until 1867 the Government Flags were
made Of English bunting. Then Gen.
Butler established his bunting factories
and killed the English industry in the
United States. !. The first Flag Of Amer
lean bunting was unfurled on the day
that the Union Pacific Railroad. that
stupendous piece of engineering. was
completed, and stuck on top of the
monument where the last spike was
driven.
Congress then authorized the pur-
chase Of American bunting for the Ma
tional Government Flags. and they are
at last all American. The first acquisf-
ton of territory ever made by the Unit
ed States by simply taking possession
was accomplished In 1868. The Midway
Islands, about HALFWAY from the Sand
witch Islands and Japan. were taken pos
session of on order from the Navy De-
partment. The commander of the Lack
awana went on the shores of the unin-
habited islands and raised the Flag on
the highest point OF land. while salute
OF Fl guns was fired. They were want
ed for a cOaling station.
The American Flag has been carried
further into the Arctic and Antarctic
Seas than that Of any other Nation.
II any of you were asked why the
American stars are five-pointed, while
the English star has six, what answer
would you give? Betsy Ross and Wash
ington had scrap over that one point.
Washington drew a six-pointed star for
the Flag. and his shirtmaker refused to
make 1t. THAT is q British star" she
said. and folding bit OF paper she
made a five-pointed star with a single
snip OF her scissors. The six-pointed
star was simply q relic OF the r0wel
spurs Of heraldry, and when Mrs. Ross
had made Washington understand that.
he capitulated. SO that to woman is
due the Americans original conception
of the fve-pOinted star.
Suppose child asked you how many
flags the United States had had. what
reply could you make? Sixty-four. at
the very least calculation, led our forces
on land and sea up to 1777.
The Presidents Flag.
How many of you know that the
President has Flag? If asked. could
you describe that Flag? What Is the
Revenue Pennant like? What is the
Flag Of the Secretary of the Navy? Do
you know the Union Jack when you see
1t? What is the design and color Of
the Admiral's Flag. and that Of the
Rear-Admiral? Would you know any
Of these Flags if you were to meet them
on the street? Is 1t very patriotic in
this day, with our boys and brothers,
our sons and their sireS at sea, not to
know the Flag under which they sail.
perhaps to the unknown shores whose
horizon reaches to eternity?
There is so much for us to learn about
the Flag Of our country that II is small
wonder that the great multitude Of our
foreign population whose native flag is
to them only a symbol Of serfdom should
be needless Of the beauty Of ours or
that they should wantonly desecrate it.
Men do not treat tenderly a thing
they do not love and venerate, and 1t Is
only those who know the full signifi-
canoe of the words privilege" and ere
sponsibility" as applied to citizenship
who are possessed of the intelligent pa
w n.
tent that comes Of love Of country and
idealizes his country's Flag.
How should one love liberty who does
not comprehend the meaning of the
word? How shall he become enthusiast
tic over free schools who knows moth
ing Of their purpose and working? Why
should he be willing to die for the Flag
who knows nothing OF its history or
significance?
The gates of Castle Garden forever
swing inward to an always increasing
tide Of this foreign population. Speak
ing divers tongues, and yet not ours,
they swarm like vermin in the low
hauntS of the vicious. ever increasing
their range of operations till they over
run every section Of our great cities,
and the ever widening waves reach at
last from Atlantic to the Pacific. from
the savannas of the South to the noun
tains OF Montana. and the bohemian
nOrQeS OEeFfun Inc mines OF the great
Central West In their heart they carry
hatred Of all law. all organized labor.
all civilized restrictions They are an
awful menace to our body politic and
threaten humiliation Of our beloved in
situations through their benumbed iS-
norance and superstitious allegiance to-
socialistic ethics. Life is but a form Of
hell in their besotted. bestial kind OF
and the hereafter possesses
no terrors for them. as they believe 1t
brings surcease Of suffering. With those
of mature years not much can be done.
They are only safe when dead. But the
babies, the little children that come to
these wrecked outcasts of the old
worlds insuperable conditions are born
under the Stars and Stripes. and are
destined to become American citizens
From these hotheds Of crime and pes
thence these little children are gathered
up and taught the first principles OIL
free Government. the meaning of the
and reverence and love for
the Flag.
Now. have you any idea who started
this great work?
1t was a veteran OF the war of the
rebellion. Col. Batch. OF New York. Hell
began his work in that city away back
in the early '78's. and spent all OF his
own private fortune in establishing free
for these children of the