Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1914-06-20
eLks CELEBRATE FLAG DAY.

A thousand Elks, their families and
friends, filed the great Louis XVI
room of the Hotel Sherman, Monday
night, at the annual celebration of
Flag Day. by Chicago Lodge No. 4.
b. p. o. Z. The large hall was pro.
fusely and tastefully draped with
American flags. A choir Of fifty
voices rendered the national airs In
a charming manner. This grand eel.
ebration was In accordance with the
decree Of the grand lodge that every
Elk lodge shall celebrate this day.
The program consisted of the flag
ritual ceremonies, by the officers OF
the lodge, accompanied by music and
other entertainment. Colonel Henry
F. Donovan was the orator Of the eve.
ming. Charles Beecher Lahan deliv.
cred the address to the fag. John
A. Mccormick gave the history Of the
flag. Exalted Ruler Arthur w. John.
son presided.
Colonel Henry F. Donovan spoke
as follows:
Nothing IL SO inspiring, except 1t
be the unfurling Of the glorious ban.
ner itself, as the sight Of men, women
and children gathered to do honor to
their country's flag. (Applause.)
The flag of our country has ever
been crowned with victory. The
clouds which have temporarily oh.
scured 1t have always been dispelled
by sunburst of glory. (Applause.)
The war for independence was full
of sorrows and of suffering for the
patriot Americans and yet they fol.
lowed their young flag with an enthu
siasm never equalled. applause
From the day that the patriot farm
ers chased the British down the lane
a: Lexington. to the day when Mont
gomery. heading an American force
and slipping in his own blood, beheld
with his dying eyes the newborn ban
ner Of freedom upon the heights OF
Quebec, there was no faltering. CAP
plause.) The sufferings endured by
the American soldiers at Valley Forge
and in the lines investing the British
at New York, the perils OF many bat
ties and the humiliations OF defeat
were forgotten at last when the Star
Spangled Banner waved In triumph
and in victory over the surrendered
British lines at Yorktown. applause
The winning Of independence found
the American people living under q
rather uncertain form of government
in thirteen different states. This
lasted for few years, when consti
tutional union was effected and the
Stars aid Stripes kissed the breeze
in Joy at the inauguration of the great
and good George Washington as first
president of the United States. (Great
applause.) The new republic had not
long 10 wait to show that its feeling
OF independence was rock rooted and
that independence was the creed OF
the nation. For long time the bar.
barry states in Northern Africa, in
Guiding Algiers and Tripoli, have been
leyying tribute upon the civilized ma
tons OF the world. To protect their
seamen from capture and their sub.
jects from being made slaves, they
paid large sums to these Corsairs. The
pirates finally captured some Amer.
leans and demanded ransom money
for their release.
Immediately the cry went up in the
United States: millions for defense
but not one cent for tribute" CAP.
plause.)
Preble and Decatur humbled the
buccaneers with the navy OF the
United States and the American mas
was saluted by Algerian and Tripoli
tan; the prisoners were released and
indemnity was paid and ever after
wards these terrors OF the sea re-
spected every vessel with the flag OF
American freedom on its mast. CAP
plause.)
The pride OF Independence and the
love OF country were the impelling
causes OF the war OF 1872. Great
Britain had long been pursuing a pol
icy which irritated the patriotic feel
ings OF the American people. Amer
lean citizens by birth or naturaliza
ton were ruthlessly taken from Amer
lean ships, torn by force from under
the protection of the American flag
and impressed into the British navy
This state OF affairs could not long