Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-04-12
PRIZE OF $1,000
AWARDED TO The
AUTHOR OF CREED

Washington, April 5-"The Ameri-
cans Creed" for which the city of
Baltimore offered a prize Of $1,000
was made public here yesterday. Its
selection was the result of ma
tional Citizens Creed Contest" approx
ed by President Wilson, Speaker
Clark and a host of famous Americans
The author Of the creed, who wins
the $1,000 prize is William Tyler
Page, of Friendship Heights, Mary
land, near Washington. 1t reads:
"THE AMERICANS CREED i
believe in the United States of
America as a government of the peo-
pie, by the people, for the people;
whose just powers are derived from
the consent of the governed; democ-
racy in a republic; a sovereign nation
of many sovereign states; perfect
Union, one and inseparable; estab'
lished upon those principles of free
dom, equality, justice, and humanity
for which American patriots sacrificed
their lives and fortunes.
ST therefore believe it is my duty
to my country to love it; to support
its Constitution; to obey its laws; to
respect us udBJ anu " O0AChN ~
against all enemies
The idea of laying emphasis on the
duties and obligations of citizenship
in a national creed originated with
Henry S. Chaplin and was first an
nounced by him in September, 1916.
The idea was approved by the
resident and endorsed by 1.-THE Vigi-
lantes,' non-partisan organization of
authors, artists and others for patri-
otto purposes.
Baltimore, as the birthplace of
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" offered,
in March, 1917, through Mayor Pres
ton, a $1,000 prize. Committees were
appointed to pass upon the creeds
tives of magazines; a committee on
manuscripts, consisting of Porter
Emerson Brown, Henry S. Chaplin,
Hermann Hagedorn and representa-
tives of magazines; a committe on
award, comprising Matthew Page
Andrews, Irwin S. Cobb, Hamlin Gar
land, Ellen Glasgow, Julian Street,
Booth Harrington and Charles Han
son Towne; and an advisory commit
tee, consisting of Commissioner Clax-
ton, of the federal bureau of educa-
ton, and other national and state Of
flcials.
Several thousand proposed creeds
were submitted and SO of them were
turned over by the manuscripts COM
mittee to the committee on award and
the creed framed by Mr.. Page, in an
envelope opened in New York city
March 6, last, was selected as the
best
The creed awarded the prize was
selected because it was not only brief
but remarkably comprehensive of the
best in American ideals, history an6
traditions, as expressed by the found
ers of the republic and its Creates
statesmen and writer's. Its language
is a composite of ideals taken from
the constitution of the United States
the Declaration of Independence, the
Federalist, the federal oath of allie
glance, Washington's Farewell Ad
dress, Lincolns Gettysburg Speech
Webster's speech in the Senate Jan
26, 1880; Edward Everett Hale's "A
Man Without Country" THE Stal
Spangled Banner" the army and nav!
regulations, a War Department cir
cular on flag etiquette of April IA
last, and the great seal of the United
States.
William Tyler Page, the COMMITTEE
on awards announced, is a descendan
of a President of the United States
John Tyler, and of a signer Of tn
American Declaration of Independ
ence, Carter Braxton. He was bor1
in Frederick, Md, the birthplace o
Francis Scott Key, and he ATTENDED
the public schools of Baltimore.