Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-05-03
REGISTER Or YOU CANNOT VOTE
me liberty of free speech and good government
oePenos upon your Registering. Register
HONOR|NG
THE FLAG
SoME REFLECTIoNS ON THE
BEST WAY TO DO THIS.

~" Assoclateu Press dispatch
from Columbus, o., contains the fol.
lowing:
At the FIRST dress para le of the
spring held at the Columbus post 70
day several civilian spectators were
requested to remove their hats I'm
salute TO the national colors "I
shall insist upon every one removing
MS hat when the national colors are
carried In this parade and on other
occasions of the kind" said Col.
Glenn, commandant AT tho post.
everybody should SHOW as much
respect to the flag or the United
States. and intend to enforce such
respect here"
An astonishing pIece OF busiI
ness the Washington Post aptlv
terms II, and adds.
On what meat does this Col. Glenn
feed? Does he not know that the
most precious thing that flag typifies
Is the liberty OF the citizen 20 wear
mis- hat In its presence, and the mo
ment the citizen Ii coerced to do Il
homage the flag Is degraded to the
hated and loathsome category that
was held by Gessler's cap? What
would be a greater insult 10 the
Stars and Stripes than to hale n
free man before It and force him to
do obeisance to it2 Who but a man
made for slavery would submit to
the petty tyranny of an upstart army
ofiicer who orders him to bow TO
the flag or don his hat to II? The
liberty Of the citizens adds a million
times more glory to the flag of our
country than all battle fields over
which 1t ever waved in victory
ay the liberty of the citizen to
stand covered in. its presence. What
Is a patriotism that has to he
coerced? More worthless than n love
that has to be bought Understand
ns-we think II perfectly proper for
the citizen TO pay respect TO the
flag by uncovering I'm It's presence
he does II spontaneously. and
without cant. That Is all right; but
to be forced TO do IL is as degrad-
ing as II is TO the slave OF the sui
tan to fall prostrate I'm his soyer-
eign's presence. A pretty citizen
ship we would have II the army is
to be employed to harry the people
and round them up and make them
uncover in the presence OF the flag.
that tgpifes nothing II not the lib
erty OF the citizens to wear, or DON
his hat as shall please him, and him
alone Patriotism is something Of
a matter Of taste; II IL always spon
taneous If II be genuine, and It is
no business OF and army officer to
prescribe a patriotic code for a free
American citizen to observe. Mr..
Secretary Taft Is now at home, and
he might do his country very great
service II he should teach army Of
flcers that the flag is for the citi
zen, and not the citizen for he flag.
Ideas very much akin 10 those ex
pressed by the Argus, only n few
days ago, in commenting upon a
sort Of codihed flag worship, pre-
scribing rules and usages for It's
appropriate display Since the war
with Spain, and our unfortunate
embarkation in the experiment Of
colonialism and imperialism. a cult
has grown up which teaches a species
OF royalty aping in regard to our
"rulers' and our flag. They say
that we must not critlclse the
president" no matter how mistaken
his policies may be. no matter n he
Is transparently assuming TO name
his successor, and using the power
OF his Office to do so, In defiance OF
sound American doctrine and prIn-
ciples For the hag, we must 90
through a sort OF code OF court cal
ondar etiquet In It's honor.
Iney forget that we have no cru
lers' In this country. and that while
the ofice Of president Is indeed ex
alted and highly respected. It's tenn
porary incumbents are but men. onlv
American citizens. like the rest OF
u.s. though temporarily chosen TO
serve the people, and subject AT all
times to reasonable criticism as 20
the manner IN which they discharge
the duties and responsibilities Of
that great ONCE.
They forget that the Gag is but
an emblem which stands. indeed
for the most glorious traditions and
victories Of the republic: but which
IN Itself "a a nero BIT OF bunting. and
is capable Of such misuse or I'm
proper employmenf In ma roorfcs,,