The National tribune., 1910-03-31
Hats on to the Flag.

Comrade c. ]. Vert, of PIattsburg,
n. Y, sends the following from the
Normal Magazine, Potsdam, n. Y. 1t
teaches lesson in patriotic courtesy
that may well be taken home by every
body:
eat the Champlain Celebration oc-
CURED little incident 1 wish to relate.
Time, afternoon of a perfect July
day. Place, parade grounds at Platts-
burg-acres in area, high and level as
a floor, overlooking Lake Champlain, a
sheet of glass in the sunlight, studded
with islands, the Green Mountains. Oc-
casion, Plattsburg Day of the Cham
plain Celebration.
Thousands on thousands crowded
the stupendous grandstand erected for
the occasion. Other thousands lined
the driveway and the margins of the
parade ground as far as watchful
guards on horseback would permit.
President Taft, ambassador Bryce,
ambassador Jusserand, Gov. Hughes,
Gov. Prouty, Elihu Root and scores of
other dignitaries and celebrities filed
the central reviewing stand.
Music is heard and the pageant
opens. 1t beggars description. Mill
tary bands, troopS-horse and foot
American, English and Scotch, floats,
each other in bewildering but perfectly
ordered lines and columns. Uncle Sans
blucoats, none smarter; Uncle Sam s
cavalry, none braver or more inspiring;
martial music making the blood tingle;
English foot in uniforms of red; Eng
lish cavalry in gorgeous plumage;
Scotch Highlanders in kits and plaids.
with their bagpipes blowing; all by the
hundreds and the thousands, with pic
turesque floats, historic and otherwise,
made a sight long to be remembered.
1t meant so many things 1 may not stop
to number.
President Taft reviewed the parade.
He stood with his hat on except when
saluted. as he was again and again and
again, by the flags of the various regi-
ments and nationalitfes; then he upcov-
cred and acknowledged the salute with
bow, at once replacing his hat.
FINALLY, when all the brass bands
and bagpipes had passed by, and all the
smart regiments in blue and red and
gold had passed by, and all the pranc
ing cavalry had passed by, and all the
gorgeous floats had passed by, fife and
drum were heard, and approaching the
reviewing stand, gay with color and
proud with dignity, came struggling
band of some 60 old Grand Army vet
Grams, battered, crippled, halt and dust
begrimed, not many of them having so
much as a G. A. r. hat to distinguish
them-just the badge and the scars
that's ALL
The music of the fife and drum
wasn't very beautiful after hearing the
bands. The old flag they carried was
soiled and dirty, and the color-bearer
didn't dip it very gracefully; but he
dipped it. and the President acknowl-
edged it as he acknowledged no other.
He stood uncovered fully four minutes,
until the last halting veteran had passed
by. It/was the spontaneous tribute of
a big man to the tattered remnant of
actors in a great cause. 1t was a lesson
in American citizenship given by Amer
ica's Chief Executive, without thought
that he was doing it, without purpose.
just because he was big man, with a
big soul, big enough to have a great
heart and not care who knew Ii. To
me it was the finest thing of the cele-
bration, yet not a paper mentioned it.
Perhaps they didn't see it,