New-York tribune., 1907-06-24
THE NATIONAL FLOWER
What Shall 1t -COlumbine, Not
Make, Says Mr. Sargent.

"CoIumbine versus Maize is the theme of a
letter received from Frederick lie Roy Sargent
president of the Columbne Association, in re-
ply TO q plea from Mrs. George Cabot Ward to
make maize a national emblem, which pub
lished recently in The Tribune. Mr.. Sargent
says:
In The Tribune of June 16 Mrs George Cabot
Ward, commenting upon the cOlumbne as q can
didate for national flower expresses her aston
| ishment that any patriotic person of sane mind
can desire the adoption Of 'foly's flower as our
national emblem.
Is it not indeed astonishing that any one should
be so deficient in q of humor TO suppose
that a little Joke cracked long ago by two
obscure writer's for lack OF something better to
say about the columbine constitutes q serious OBJ
lection against II for a national flower? William
Young or Miss Twarnlev seems to have been the
first 10 perpetrate the folly cap and bells
pleasantly. Either would doubtless be amused to
see II unearthed and offered the prevailing as
sociation Americans have with this flower, but to
them We have reason to be grateful as adding one
more TO the quaint conceits which this flower has
suggested.
1t has been well said that We love those persons
best at whom may and then have our little
laugh The principle applies here. This suggestion
which leads us 10 see the cap and bells IN the
coumbine. and make of It little Jester. affords
! an afectOnlte touch less welcome than quaint
Our beloved Lincoln whom Lowell calls the first
American would have been less truly without
his Jokes. So IN the coumbine. II there
feature lacking 20 make II truly representative OF
all that is best in the American people 1t was a
suggestion Of the Characteristic American humor
This Is now given IN tho reminder OF the cap
ana DeSI the badge OF those invaluable
yves or freedom or speech called fools. perhaps
because they were generally the wIsest and wittest
men Of their day
Perhaps IL VIII Increase Mrs. Wards astonish-
ment TO learn that the late John Fiske surely a
patriotic person Of mind whom she quotes
favOring maize for q national emblem changed
his mind as he learned of the superior
claims Of the columbine and became enthuEi-
asuc member Of the Columb!ne Association whose
object IS To bring about the official adoption OF
the eolumb!ne as the national flower Of the United
+ States" This association numbers thousands more.
equally patriotic and equally sane, including very
many who advocated the Indian for Colom-
bias emblem when II the best they knew.
Among the first to be converted to the cause OF
the COlGmbine tho late Francis Parknan, than
whom no American was ever better acquainted with
American history, American Indians and American
columbines- He viii be remembered not only as
one OF our most eminent historians and keenest
students of Indian life, but a hortculturist so
honored to be for three years elected president
OF the Massachusetts horticultural Society. The
following letter from him therefore speaks with
high authority:
30 Chestnut Street March 2. 1893
! "Mr. Frederick IDe Roy Sargent
Dear Sir: have read your interesting paper IN
. The Household which Is by far the best ! have
In relation 10 our national flower Some of
your suggestions very striking. and you have
your belief that the columbine Is
the best choice we can make l have always been
partial TO II on Its merits and have raised
many hundred seedlings from its different varieties
II is within the reach OF the most modest purse. as
It Is best raised. like the pansy, from seed. Some
Of the hybrids Of Aquilegia chrysantha A cceruea,
Of remarkable variety and beauty and do not
require any artificial process of fertilization, as
whcE planted side by side they mutually fertilize
themselves For my part. IN spite OF two
brilliant exceptions, I think that the American
long spurred varieties are by far the best Of the
/ genus"
Mrs Ward says Of her candidate for national
flower 1T has for years been thought OF. and
there can be, 1t would seem. no doubt as to tho
appropriateness OF adopting tho maize for this
. high honor" While # is quite true that maize like
the columbine, has long been thought OF as a pos
sibe emblem for country there has been this
difference in the result-the more people have
thought about the columbine the wonderful
and manifold have it's unique qualifications for
Columba's emblem been found TO be. With maize,
on the contrary Just the reverse has happened.
One after another Of its supposed qualifications
have been found sadly lacking.