The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-15
ZION CELEBRATES
FLAGS ADOPTION
Old Glory Floats From Public
Building, Store and
HOusetOp.
PATRIOTIC EXERCISES
HELD AT LIBERTY PARK
Elks Observe Day With Appro-
pirate Programme: Chris
tenSen's Address.

The one hundred and thirty second
anniversary Of the adoption of the Star
Spangled Banner as the flag of the
United States was appropriately OBJ
served in Salt Lake City Monday. Fol
lowing the suggestion of the proclama-
ton issued by Gov, William Spry, tho
flags on every public building of the
city, in addition TO the majority Of
those on the business houses and many
private residences, were flung TO the
breeze in commemoration of the day.
The first American flag. well termed
the most beautiful of all flags, was
made at the suggestion Of George Wash
ington by Betsy Ross in Philadelphia.
1t was adopted as the flag of the eoun
try, which then consisted of but thir-
teen colonies. on June Ii, l777, the
year following the famous battles of
Lexington and Concord. The original
flag had but thirteen stars, represent.
ative Of the number of colonies.
Main street was pretty sight Mon
day. The Red, White and Blue was
seen flying on almost every building,
and many of the merchants decorated
their show windows appropriately for
the occasion. The decorations were
synonymous with those for the celebra
tion of the glorious Fourth. The OBJ
servapce Of Flag day is becoming more
general every year and never before
was it celebrated with such enthusiasm
In this city as yesterday.
Day at Liberty Park,
The patriotic organizations of the
city observed the day at Liberty park.
Under the direction of the Women S
Rolipf Of tho Tho ,a1lnS
Of the G. \. r.. the Spanish American
war veterans and the Sons aud Daugh-
terS of Veterans. appropriate exercises
were held. More than 900 people as
semblcd at the park to listen TO a pa
triotic address by Col. NJ. NJ Kaign,
the past department commander of the
Utah Grand Army of the Republic. Col.
manner. The Ladies' G.. A. r. band
furnished the music for the occasion,
playing all of the national airs Of the |
Land Of the Free and the Homo of
the Brave
At o clock in the evening the Wo-
men s Relief corps served basket din
ner to the G. A. K. veterans and af
fliated organizations. Baked beans and
coffee army style, were feature of |
the affair, More than 800 people sat
down to the tables. which were beau
tifully decorated with flags and red, |
white and blue bnnting. Ii was n hand |
some sight and the old veterans took
great pleasure in celebrating the adop- |
tiop of the flag which they so bravely |
defended. The threatening weather
had the effect of keeping many away
from the park, but nevertheless the
event goes down in history as one OF
the most successful of its kind ever
conducted in this city.
Elks Observe Day.
With song and speech, in hall |
strung with fold after fold Of tho Stars
and Stripes. Salt Lake City Elks cele-
brated Flag day Monday night In the |
lodge rooms of their club house, 90
South State street.
1t was highly patriotic gathering of
men and women, for the lodge rooms |
wanted to havc a part in the exercises.
'fThe Star Spangled Banner which |
opened the exercises. was sung as en-
Enthusiastically as was America.
which closed the programme, and sec |
tional lines were forgotten in the cheers
for ''Dixic, when 1T was played by
tho orchestra,
chosen by the lodge TO pay the Elks
tribute to the flag. His effort was re-
ccived with round after round of APP
plause. He said in part:
SIN the sense that it has met un-
equal conditions and withstood them.
that it has challenged unnumbcred per
lis and conquered them, that il has |
encountered uncommon haTdships and |
snrmountod them, the American flag |
may be said TO be Of heroic origin. The |
conflict in which il was born aud from
which it rose 10 It's present cmineIcc |
added more of Iustcr TO the annals Of |
history and resulted in more of good |
TO humankind than all of the tourna
ments, than all Of the crusadcs, than
all of the wars of the past.
"To the language of flags il con |
tributed 4 new word--that of liberty. |
II gave d new definition Of home. n new
ideal Of the fireside, a trucr conception
Of the brotherhood of man II became
the chief geographer of the armament.
the chief pilot of the seas. the chief
trailmaker Of the forest, the valley and
the PLAIN.
A Righteous Flag.
''Sporting in the breeze, II is a
mosaic Of rbboned lovelness. Dropping
in softer airs. its staff is maypole Of
festal delight It is m honest flag. a
flag that is destined To win the world
from wrong. 10 Danish unholy strife and
10 usher in the thousand years of peace.
cit is at once hymn, precept and
a benediction.
The flag anniversary was observed
with all the stateliness of the Elks
ritual. Following the rendition of 'The
Star Spangled Banner by the orches
ira, James W. Collins, exalted ruler,
and all the officers Of the lodge, con-
ducted the Introductory exercises. Theu,
following the singing of Columbia,
the Gem of the Ocean, by A. ?.
kisselbcrg, took place one of the prct
test features Of the night.
After the singing OF ''Auld Lang
Syne' by the gathering and the de-
livery of Mr.. Christensen S oration. the
orchestra played a melody of Southern
airs, including "Marylaud,'' - "My Old
Kentucky Home and Dixie.
j, T. Meakin recited with telling ef
feet Joseph Rodnan brakes "The
American Flag" This was followed
by an address by Judge NJ NJ. Warner
on "The Flag and Patriotism" +" which
was succeeded by the closing number,
"America.