The National tribune., 1910-11-17

about this season of the year, so as to
have the building white and clean on
the exterior for the advent of Congress,
the LIST Of December. The bathing OF
the Capitol is done by the Fire Depart
ment. and 1t took Engine Company No.
8 from 1880 in the morning until s
O'Clock in the afternoon to clean Just
the central front section. 1t takes from
three days to a week to clean the build
ing all over and rid 1t of tho unsightly
sparrow's debris. their procreant era
dies being poked into every nook and
Granny over the great structure. Among
other expenses Of the Capitol, to light
the Capitol grounds for the year cost
more than 100000. and $4,000 was
spent in out-of-doors improvements.
other expenses were incurred in max
| ing 1t more comfortable for the Sena-
tors, new furniture being installed and
expensive improvements being made in
! the restaurant. Many of the commit
tee rooms have been renovated and re-
decorated.
Mexicans Insult Old Glory.
And now what? The other day down
in the City Of Mexico there was DEM
onstration against Americans, and the
Government and the American Flag
was grossly insulted. The dispatches
state that the American Flag was float
ing in front OF a candy store in the
business quarter. and was torn down
by several hundred medical students,
who trampled and spit upon it. They
then tore the Flag to tatters, and added
insult to injury by going to Mexican
newspaper office, where they had their
photographs taken. showing many Of
the individuals waving bits of the torn
American Flag. A number of MeXicans
were hurt, and one at least was badly
beaten in the riot that followed the
insult to the Flag.
OF course. the United States Govern
ment will demand reparation for the
insult in some way or another for the
humiliating outrage upon the Flag. EN-
bassador Wilson demanded an apology
for the mob's insults, and Uncle Sam
will get busy and discipline Mexico, and
there will be the dickens of time until
our honor is avenged.
In the United States when painters
use the American Flag to carpet par
quetry floors while they are decorating
ceilings, when priZefighters use the
American Flag for belts, when whisky
distillers use the American Flag to des-
ignate their best barrels of molten fire,
when toilet paper yenders use 1t to
mark every sheet of their wares, when
advertisers use the stripes of the Amer
ican Flag to puff their goods, when suf-
fragets tear out all the stars but those
representing the States where women
have the right to vote, when girls use
it for belts and boys for neckties, when
the political aspirant uses it as back
ground for his picture, when, as in the
case of the Cleveland china, it Is use6.
to line pickle dishes, it is all right. and
this insufferable humiliation and deg
ra6ation of the Flag meets no rebuke
whatever from the United States Gov
ernment. Neither is It possible to Sc
cure action from the two houses of
CDnRrasg which will
protect the Flag in the country which
it protects just the same as tho 1t were
upon foreign soil. The American Flag
is always sure of vindication when it is
recklessly used or criminally insulted
in q foreign land. The only place where
it may be used for anything from dish
rag to carpet for the President to
tread on as ne is inaugurated is in the
United States.
1t is to be hoped that Mexico will
make her miscreants suffer for their
insults to Old Glory, but the American
who loves the Flag would like to feel
that II is just as safe from insult in the
United States.