The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-14
TODAY Is FLAG DAY.

The flag is the symbol of the maiesty
and the power of the Republic Under
its protection American citizens ALWAYS
feel safe and at liberty: and to support
IT. to maintain its supremacy, to ex.
alt its significance and IFS ma iostv,
hundreds of thousands of brave men
have given their lives. II is fit that
we should honor tho flag in every pos
sible way. md il is proper that the
day should be distinguished by general
flag displays, always of the American
dag, none other
The American Nag. as has been well
said, is growth rather than a crea
tion. The suggestion for the adoption
Of stars rs a device for the National
standard probably originated in Boston.
The earliest known suggestion for a
star for an American ensign appeared
in the Massachusetts, Spy of March TO-
IVA. more than three wears prior to the
establishment of the stars and stripes
flag. On June ID, l777, the American
Congress in session M philadelphia re-
solved THAT the flag Of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes, alter.
nate red and white, that the union be
thirteen stars, white in blue field.
representing a new constellation - This
resolution was the result of the action
of the committee appointed early in
June of that year TO study designs for
National flag. The membership of
this committee has not been officially
preserved. John Adams of Massachu-
setts is represented TO have been its
master spirit, and George Washing
ton appears to have been member.
The committee held several meetings
and reported the resolution above quot
ed, which was on that same day
adopted
The first flag combining the stars and
stripes was made by Mrs Betsy Ross
in Philadelphia. Her husband was in
terested in furnishing cannon balls and
other military stores for the colonial
defense. This Betsy Ross flag had the
thirteen white stars in a circle on a
blue field, he thirteen red and white
stripes alternating as fixed in the reso
luton George Washington, describing
the origin OF the flag, stated: We
took the stars from heaven (alluding TO
q" a new constellation - as defined in the
resolution adopted) the red from our
mother country, separating 1T by white
stripes. thus showing that we have sep
arated from her. and the white stripes
shall go down to posterity representing
liberty From time 10 time for many
years past there has been brought for
ward a statement in renewed form,
that both the stars and the stripes IN
the National ensign were derived from
the coat of arms of General George
Washington g family in England. 1t is
true that that coat of arms contained
both the stars and the stripes, but the
general conclusion is that this is mere
for Washington in ex
planning the origin of the flag, polntedly
omitted TO refer to any connection of it
with his family coat of arms, and he
must have known of the devices on the
coat of arms of his family in England.
The Betsy Ross flag was the flag of
the new nation until May !, 1895. Yer
mont and Kentucky had, in the mean
time. been admitted 10 the Union, and
on that date Congress passed an act
increasing the stars and stripes from
thirteen TO fifteen. The stars in the
field in this flag were placed in three
straight rows. five stars TO the row, and
from the precedent created by the law
which fixed this standard, the custom
has prevailed ever since To add n new
star on the Fourth Of July succeeding
the admission of any new State into
the Union.
The flag of fifteen stars was our Ma
tional standard for twenty three years,
till July II. 1918. when the flag was
fixed, the stripes remaining as before,
with twenty stars in the blue filed, and
The stars arranged in four parallel
straight rows, with five STARS to the row.
A number of suggestions have been
stars, these ranging all the way from
circles 10 parallel rows, and to so plac-
ing the stars that the group would form
a large star. Finally, however, the
parallel rows prevailed. and are yet the
standard cnufguration for the flag. The
arrangement is that on the Fourth day
Of July, after the admission Of any new
State. new star is placed in the blue
field 10 represent that State.
The sentiment expressed by Wash
ingtoD above quoted has remained the
standard idea in the flag all the time
The National mind has been constant
TO the original idea in all respects; aud
under whatever form, whatever the
number Of stars, there has never been
any diminution. During the War of
the Rebellion the National standard
still carried the stars for the States that
had seeded. and all the time the flag
bore the promise Of peace, order. and
Liberty 10 all living under its shadow !;
50 it. always has been, and so may it
pVer bp