The Daily Missoulian., 1909-10-03
MORE THAN ONE FLAG
HAS COUNTRY
MANY SPECIAL DESIGNS IN MA
TIoNAL CoLoRS ARE SELDOM
SEEN BY PEOPLE.

As the United States grew and the
partments were added, and with them
many special flags have come into ex-
istence Least often seen and yet
most interesting of these % or 30 spe-
cial flags is that Of the president OF
the United States He has a wealth
OF, them-in fact, no less than three
btIt thy arc seldom seen in public.
There are two each Of these flags, one
Of bunting and one of silk. They are
exactly alike, with this exception, but
the one of silk Is called the ''presi-
dents colors.'
The president of the United States
had no personal flag until 1882. If he
went aboard "A ship his presence was
denoted by the national flag hoisted
at the main truck. and his presence in
Il garrison or post was denoted by the
raising of the big garrison flag. These
were not entirely distinctive as denot-
ing the presence of the president, for
these flags were hoisted on gala occa-
sions when the president was not
around. The lack of a distinguishing
flag for him was felt by the navy also.
andsthe secretary of the navy by gen
eral orders, August 10 1882. established
flag for the president of the United
States. The general orders described
the flag as of blue bunting with the
coat of arms of the United States in
the center. The flag was to be hoisted
at the main of the vessel when the
president was aboard. and be carried
h. . l,a Ify,l, l.,
carHe aboard. so
/ In the army there was no distin-
gushing flag for the president of the
United States until just before the
outbreak of the Spanish American war.
Colonel Theodore Bingham, who was
then superintendent of public build
Aings and grounds. called the attention
of President Mckinley to this lack OF
"A distinguishing flag for him. and
stated that he thought the commander
in chief of the United States army and
navy ought to have a distinguishing
flag. President Mckinley did not like
the suggestion, but the secretary of
war did, and "A flag was made. 1t was
designed by Frederick ID. owen and is
a beautiful thing to look at. The Off
cial description of the flag is as fol-
lows:
The presidents flag is of scarlet
bunting, 10 feet fly and feet hoist.
In each corner is five-pointed
star of fiveinch radius to the tips. In
the center of the scarlet fielG is a large
| nth star, also of five points, two feet
nine inches in radius to the tips. In
side of this star is parallel star.
t.I .t,..
| three inches wide. The inner star
forms the blue field upon which is the
| coat of arms of the United States. ON
the scarlet field around the large star
are i6 small white stars. one for
| each state, equally scattered in the re-
entering angles and all included within
| the circumference of an imaginary
| circle three feet and quarter in
radius. In the upper point over the
| angle is IA constellation of Is stars
representing the original l3 states OF
/ the American confederation"
/ Mr.. owen explained that in the olive
| leaves. its berries and the arrows is
| symholiZed the original 13. 1t is also
/ not "A little singular that the officia
seal should bear in its motto exactly
| II letters, and that the general order
| which created the flag was also mum.
! bered lS. The magnificent silken cOlors
of the presidents flag are of scarlet
and the design is embroidered upon
this 50 exquisitely that it Is impossible
| To tell right from wrong side when
t looking at the flag The colors on the
| flag are what is called ''proper''-tha,
| is. natural-the eagle being brown anG
! the olive branches green. with RED
| berries. This flag is to be displayed
! only in time of war.
Yet another flag has the president
In 1902 the peace" flag was adopted
/ This third flag differs in a good many
| respects from the other two. In tn,
| first place the great seal of the United
! States is correctly depicted. ON the
| other flags the design of the seal il
+ seven red stripes and six white ones
/ which is correct. as the flag design
| was adopted by the third congress
] but when the great seal was adopted
/ the designer, not knowing much about
! the flag. as the forefathers intended
. put in seven white stripes anC
! six red stripes. And that is tn,
seal today. There was a long discus
sion whether the seal should not b,
/ changed to agree with the stripes or
the flag, as the forefathers intended
but 1t Was decided that as il has
been adopted il should remain. Thi:
| peace" flag thus has the seal correctl!
depicted. The eagle is snow white
! its feathers being outlined in deel
/ black. There is a different arrange
ment of the stars and of the sunburs
! also. The sunhurst is exactly circular
in form. with the rays radiating from
the group of stars. The colors are o
silk with exactly the same design
! Washington Star.