Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-11
M0THER RS DAY TO
+. Be OBSERVED HERE
SECOND SUNDAY OF MAY SET
ASIDE TO DO HONOR TO MANS
BEST FRIEND.

While the sane, wholesome people
of America never wear their hearts on
their sleeves, q strong current OF SEN
timent, intense as American patriotism
runs through the nation, and 1t Is this
which has nourished and supported
the Mothers day movement, until now
it is nationally observed holiday.
Credit for the beginning of the move.
ment is due to Miss Anna Jarvis, who
started the ball rolling in 1909, after
which it was taken up by florists,
magazines, newspapers and organiza-
tions, until congressional resolutions
were made and approved May 8, 1914,
setting aside the second Sunday in
May on which to pay special tribute
Of love and honor to mothers, living
and dead.
In the beginning, the white carna-
ton was designated as the special
flower for the day, but the fact that
the demand soon exceeded the supply,
showed the impossibility Of having any
special blossom. One of the floral
magazines came forward with the fol-
lowing couplet to change the direction
Of the demand slightly:
For mothers at home, flowers
bright,
In mothers memory, flowers white
So, while the white carnation is
especially popular on Mothers day,
roses, lilies, potted flowers to tend
lovingly, and indeed any flower, how
ever simple, is appropriate for the
day Any living mother will appreci-
ate her family wearing or presenting
her with her favorite flowers, and the
memory Of mothers who have gol1e on
will be honored in a subtly beautiful
manner by the use Of any flowers and
blossoms.
The growth of the movement has
been wonderful, for it took root in the
hearts of men, women and children,
was watered with tears of memory
and thrived in the sunshine Of the
purest Of love-that between mother
and child. The larger cities pay even
more attention to the day than the
smaller towns, the general public be-
ing reused to its observance largely
through the united action of florists
and advertisements.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co.,
Is doing much to impress the senti-
ment Of the day on hundreds, by pre-
senting to each passenger on it's trains
on Mothers day, carnation. The
telegraph companies are lined up, and
are proving powerful factor in ad-
vertising the day, as each telegraph
message envelope, sent previous to the
day, contains pointed reminder OF
Mothers day. Orders for flowers are
telegraphed from one end of the coun.
try to another, reminding the little
mother at home, that her children,
scattered in various states, are think
ing of her. and that distance is no
barrier to love. Washington Irving
said. 1.-THE love of mother is never
exhausted, 1t never changes, it never
tires. 1t endures through i'll, in good
repute, in bad repute, In the face OF
the worlds condemnation, mothers
love lives on" 1t is this love which
is paid a delicate compliment on Sun
day, May IA, in this country.
While no organized movement has
been made to carry out the Mothers
day idea by any public meeting or pro.
gram, it is expected that thousands OF
Ottumwa's sons and daughters will
show their respect and love for moth.
er next Sunday by the means adopted
on Mothers day, wearing flower in
her memory or presenting her with
flowers if she is still present.