The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-04-07
Missoula H0n0rs Soldiers;
Parsons Dedication Orator

their tents, every man by his own camp
and every man by his own standard
From primeval times to this very
hour every monarch welded his ban
ner of authority. Every nation sym
roizes it's life in its flag. The tribes
of old bore aloft Il skull or "A bunch of
straw upon rod. Agememnon used a
ulple veil with which to rally his
legions. The Greeks placed an armor
upon spear or displayed some emblem
of their gods. The persians heralded
! 4 golden eagle. and the Gauls had Il
silver one with spreading wings and
claws grasping the thnndcrbolts Of
Joye. Rome, under Augustus, had n
globe. signifyinE world dominion. and
under Constantine, a cross, signifying
Christianity. The Turks had a cres-
cent. the orientals dragon. and, with
the lion, both were favorites with Eng
FISH soTereigns Bulls and bears. birds
and banners, crosses and castles have
been the various ensigns of peoples
and rulers. All flags were born 0c
stress and battle and conflict; they
were the symbols of Il nations power
the emblems of freedom or slavery,
wealth or poverty, barbaism or char
ity. honor or obloauy. They represent
the truth, the character and the history
of the power adopting the insignia.
Whether its origin be Cloudcd in mys-
terry OF legend, whether il springs from
the cries Of the oppressed or the exrl-
, tatons of victors, a nations standard
is u nations life The country which
gt ri ipG tG ar lie,
| becomes n subject nation.
The life which a nation lives. the
freedom 1t bcstows or withholds from
its people, the treatment it accords to
women and the poor, the equality 1t
grants or proscribcs to its laborers
and producers, it's encouragement of
patriotism or anarchy, its distribution
of wealth or cntailmcnt of poverty, its
freedom or bigotry in religion it's
standards Of education or ignorance,
It's regulated liberty or criminal license,
it's morality or "kultur'--thcse deter
mine whether its flag is the symbol of
power and mercy, equality and free
dom, Christianity and progress, or
whether, like Prussia's, 1t is but n
dirty rag which contaminates the air
in which it floats
Nothing Mythical in Old Glory.
There is nothing mythical. ancient or
traditional about the flag of our coun-
try. 1t was conceived in liberty, born
IN equality and pcrpetuated in fratcr-
nifty, Its cradle rock was to the lul-
laby of shot and shell, and It's hap
tismal font was filled to OVERLOOKING
with the blood of braves" 1t is con-
s.cratcd to the cause that neither
slave nor master shall come or stand
beneath it's folds. 1t Is the incarnat,
spirit of honesty and liberty and law
Il shields and canopies alike the chile
in yonder howell. mart or palace. ant
decrecs that now. hcnceforth and for
ever. every infant born beneath 1t!
stripes shall have an equal opportunity
| means that prince and peasant in
dEvidual and corporation, capitalist ant
iaborer, the weak and the strong
Christian and pagan shall work to
gether in peace and unity under
, guaranty of simple Justice, all cqua
/ before the law and that they shal
| worship God, according to the dictate
ot their own consciences. 1t mean
| that all distinctions of creed and rae,
| birth and wealth shall be forever ban
| ished from our land; and that under it
| sway the strongest has no supremac
and the weakest needs no defense.
is the flag of democracy. 1t fears Go
| and takes it's own part. Silent sentin,
| OF the hrcezes, our ancestors waited
| to the heavens, as upon the eagle
| wings, and its realm Is as boundlos
| aa the air. From the Montczumas
| Jerusalem from the Golden gate to tn
! desert of Cathey. from the Northet
axis TO the southern seas, it unfolds II
| spirit and bestows its protection like
| bcnediction. No tribe or nation ca
| Fay homage to its stars and remain
| drunkard or become a slave. 1t wi
| wave as long as language lasts and ii
| Gabriel knclls the tocsin of recorde
| time. When, in the Night of Time, II
angel with flaming sword sha
| toll the parting world the la
II t. tread st. Peters gates al
place his Scrowl upon the book of res
| will be he who bears aloft, in hon,
| and triumph, the Stars and stripe
| aud he there will meet with the son
| and acclaim of angels, bow only hefoi
| the God of our fathers, who will sa
unto him: "Welcome. Uncle Sammy ,
| the L. :. A."