Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-06-15
EVENING CHAT


battle flags which are to-day being
made the object of unique ceremony
on Capitol Hill do not contain any
captured standards. They are the ma
tional and State ensigns which have
headed Pennsylvania troops, those
Wnlch f1gure in the exercises of to-day
being solely those of Civil and Spanish
war organizations. The flags of ear
lier wars and of other character than
numbered State organizations of in
fantry, cavalry and artillery will be
moved later. some of them being in
such condition or of such nature that
rhey could hardly be included in the
program of to-day. Years ago the
state, to erase the feeling of the war
Tor the suppression of the Rebellion,
returned the flags captured from the
Confederacy and there are none here
TO wound the sensibilities of our neigh
bors. While the collection of flags is
large, larger, perhaps, than that of any
othef State, it is not complete. There
are some flags of historic organizations
Whlch are possessed by their COM
manders or officers, or even men of the
commands, and others which are held
py organizations of survivors or his
torical societies, or which, like those
or the First City Troop, are treasured
with the standards of other events OF
national history. Every now and then
one OF these flags is presented to the
state, 1t being recognized that while in
possession of the Commonwealth the
standards will be well taken care OF
and placed where they belong. In
deed, quite q number of flags have
been added in this way since 1866,
when the standards were handed back
10 the Governor. Only recently the
Schuylkill County Historical Society
sent its interesting flags to the collec-
ton and the ceremony of to-day will
probably stimulate other organiza-
tions and individuals to donate their
relics of days of strife. The State has
been left by the will of Miss Maria
Craig, of New Alexandria, the famous
"rattlesnake flag of Colonel John
Proctor's Regiment in the Revolution,
and S. M. Shelter, of Duncannon, a
few weeks ago, presented the flag cap
tured from the Mexicans. With ex-
ception of the flags of the First City
Troop and Battery A, the collection of
Spanish War flags is complete. The
hags tell a wonderful story. Each
one has been marked with the names
OF the engagements and campaigns in
which 1t took part. In some cases the
white and red stripes are lettered in
gold, but in many instances so little
or the banner is left that strips of silk
have been provided which tell the
story.
When the flags are taken from the
big room in the State Museum it will
become repository of many objects
OF historic interest. The flags are but
a portion of the relics which are con-
tanned in the big room, whose space
mas been so occupied with the flag
cases that no opportunity was given
for display. The plans will soon be
announced for this part of the State
Museum, which is already attaining a
prominence in educational work that
makes more room imperative.
William Hertzler, Deputy Secretary
or the Commonwealth, has just COM
pleted his annual task of presiding
at the drawing of the ties of votes
cast at the primaries. Under the law
the men for whom tie vote is cast,
no matter whether it be l or 100,
must draw lots. At least they are sent
a notice to appear, and if they do not
the Deputy Secretary holds what on
the "Hilr they term "his court -
Chief Clerk George d. Thorn presents
the names and the tie votes. Then
the Deputy calls the names and if the
candidates do not appear he desig-
mates some one to act as proxy. Lots
are drawn and the freeman's will is
again recorded. Mr.. Herkzler has con-
Quoted this ceremony for several years
and has established a court with pro-
cedure unique on the ''Iill.'
A flag of Pennsylvania Regiment
which was not borne in the procession
t0-daV HkrIa tnI, xt,t11 Ia
given to the State within a few days,
is that of the Seventy sixth Volun-
teers, the command of the late Colonel
Frank |. Magee, of Wrightsvile. His
flag, which is in the possession of the
state Librarian, was donated to the
state by his son, a resident of this
city, and the presentation was too late
for the flag to be included in the ar
rangements for the ceremonies, be-
cause place sfor each flag was long
ago marked out in the Capitol ro-
tunda.
Yesterday was the first Sunday in
some time that the guides of the State
Capitol have not had to be on duty
owing to the numerous excursions
which have commenced to come this
way for the weekend The guides
weer thankful for the respite, because
to-day will be a day when they will
come near record. The Sunday ex-
cursions have brought hundreds OF
people here and many who would not
otherwise see the beauties of the
Statehouse have been able to enjoy IT.
Among visitors to the city on Satur-
day was the Rev. Joseph Stockton
Roddy, ex-pastor of Olivet Presbyte-
rian Church and now minister of oy
of the big Philadelphia churches. Mr..
Roddy is also a chaplain of the Ma
tional Guard.