The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-11
Nutrnegs.
MoDERN1z1NG STATE SEALS.
It Might be Good Idea, but Here
 are Objections.

It Might be a Good Idea, but Here
 are Objections.
 In several legislatures recently there have been started movements to corr rect and modernize the seals and mot toes of the states and to set rule for the pronunciation of the state names. Arkansas, for instance, wants the last syllable pronounced Saw" and the motto changed from "Regnant populi" to "Regnat populus" Meanwhile, It seems to be generally desired by Ar kansas that there shall be a revision of the states great seal, which has been described as "a darkys dream of the resurrection" The seal bears "a goddess, an eagle, shield some ar- rows, an olive branch, a sword, a scroll and female figure in clouds and stars" Apparently the designers of the seal felt 1t incumbent upon them to crowd as many symbols into small space as possible.
 4 year or so ago a progressive Hoo sier" found fault with the Indiana state seal and introduced a bill in the legislature to have It changed. He said that the Indians the mountains and the buffaloes had properly no place on the seal and should be elimi- mated. But if this matter of changing and bringing down to date the seals and insignia of the states be once be- gun, where will it end? There are very few of the slsterhood, especially the older states, that have designs that would stand the test of modern stand- ardtzation.
 Many of the seals run to women in negligee men in clothes of a style of century and half ago, buffaloes, half naked Indians obsolete sailing vessels, superannuated blows. Impossible sun rises, misshapen eagles and the like. Massachusetts presents an Indian, whereas there hasn't been an Indian in the state except as a casual visitor for decades. If Massachusetts insists upon militant figure in her seal she might substitute Thomas w, Lawson or George Fred Williams for the Indian and feel that she had complied with the current desire for appropriateness.
 New York's shields show two female figures representing Liberty and Jus tice, A revision would give her the figure of a bull on one side of the shield anl a bear on the other, the shield containing big dollar mark. Missouri would take the two bears off her seal and substitute for them a tab leauu to which one of her sons is de- manding to be shown. Connecticut migth eliminate all of the present veg etation shown on the seal and substi- ute wooden nutmeg tree, while Pennsylvania could take off the ships and the sheaves and the blow and put in their places a representation of those per foot imported baccarat glass chandeliers, made in Pittsburg. recently supplied to the Capital at about five times their retail price at private sale,
 Seriously, the seals of the states may leave something to be desired when one comes to glance over them. They might have been made handsomer and more characteristic of the geographical division represented. But, with all of there crudities, they make up a very good looking lot of seals, and each of them has a bit of wholesome history attached to it that 1t would profit all Americans to study. Arkansas will probably retain her "darky's cream of the resurrection" and 1t will serve ev- cry purpose.-Savannah News