Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (June 3, 1898)
THE AMERICAN 'Vfv'A J. 'AMEKICA FOK AMERICANS." We hold that all mm are Amercians vUio Swear Allegiance to the I'nit-d State without a mental rewrvution. PRICK FIVE CENTS. Numukk 2.'5. A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, JUMB 3, lSiS. Volume Vlll. FACTS ABOUT OLD GL0RY.M It Has Not Always Been the Pattern Americans Now Love. AIM), In Excellent Article Retarding The Roman Catholic Church In Mexico. f ' ' Facts and Fancies of Old (ilory. As a nation we are the most plctoral in the world, and we began early to read from symbols, our first standard or independent ruie oem? lueuewKo of a rattlesnake cut in ttlrteen tiecer, representing the thirteen colonies, bearing first the motto ' Unite or Die," and later the significant warning, 'Don't Tread on Me," the rattlesnake being typified in an attitude prepared to strike. Rude as the device was, it had a terrible significance, but one in which science,Ihlstory and power held formidable parts, and it was a motive of wise statesmanship that gave it as a warning to foreign pressure, when that pressurefdeveloped into tyranny. Dr. Franklin, seeing the emblem one day, wrote of it in this admirable ex planation: " On inquiry and from study I learn that the ancients considered the ser pent an emblem of wisdom, and in some attitudes of endless duration. Also that countries are often represented by an imals peculiar to that country. The rattlesnake is found nowhere but in America. , Her eye is exceedingly brightiand without eyelids emblem of vigilance J She never begins an attack and she never surrenders emblem of mag nanlmity and courage. She never wounds even her enemies until she generously gives tbtm warning not to tread on her, which is emblematical of the spirit of the people who inhabit her country. She appears apparently weak andjdefecselefs, tut her weapons ere nevertheless formidable. Her pois on is the. necessary means for the di gestion of her food, hut certain death to her enemies showing the power of American resources. Her thirteen rattles, the only part which increases in number, are distinct frcm each ether, and yet so united that they cannot be disconnected without breaking them to pieces, showing the impossibility of an A mericad republic without a union of states. A single rattle will give no sound alone, but the ringing of the thirteen together is sufficient to startle the boldest rro alive. She is beautl ful in youth and her beauty increases with age. Her tongue is forked as the lightning, and her abode is among the impenetrable rocks." This magnificent apostrophe to a rat tlesnake reads like an improvisation from the Book of Job or the Psalms of David, and, connected as it is with every epoch of American liberty, it tshoald be as immortal in its sentiments as the Declaration of Independence It will soon be the one hundred and twenty-first anniversary of the Ameri can flag, or rather its adoption by Con gress, George Washington being chair man of the committee which gave the order for the thirteen stars and stripes, The patriotic women of that day did cot immortalize themselves by making the flag with their own hands, but the expert needlewoman who drew the threads and did the fine stitching on George Washington's shirts made our first national banner, and within late years her house, which is still stand' ing, has become a resort for the patrl otic. It has long been designated "the Betsey Ross flag," so it goes down to posterity with a waman's name attached as a factor in its being. It was succeeded by the flag of fifteen stars, which will come to be kcown as the "Francis Key Flag," our national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner," having been written under its folds, or rather it was the flag which Key saw while inditing bis poem. POSITIVELY TH All persons who have not paid their, 1898, and previous years are hereby notified tion accounts will be anything save yourself and us trouble by paying up immediately, as this is positively the last request we shall make to delinquent subscribers. Remember the date July 1st, 1898 We will not wait on you after, that date. We have treated you right, and you must treat us in the same manner. It is right that you pay us what you owe us. I have had the p'easure of hearing from the lips of one who knew the his tory of the name given to our flaj in recent years, "Old Glory," the inci dents of the occasion. The narrator, George W. Bates of Detroit, Mich., a gentleman of unutual information on all topics, and an ardent patriot, ssys that it was applied to the flag of the United States for the first time by Cap lain Stephen Driver, an old sea captain who was living in Nashville, Tenn., in 1862. In order to keep the flag, which had been presented to him while abroad by American friends, he hid it in a quilt and slep under its folds without its enemies being any the wiser. On awaking in the morning he would as cribe his gcod sleep to the concealed flag, which be called by the pet. name "Old Glory," and when the federals entered Nashville he flung' Old Glory" to the breeze and told the story tvery- where. The name is now as national as the flag. The respect which is accorded to the American flag abroad may be exempli fied by a conversation held a few years ago between a daughter of President Tyler, an aged lady now living in re tirement, and a Chicago woman who is bluntly patriotic and doesn't care who knows it. The Chicago woman was calling on her southern friend when in Washington, and noticing a small flag framed and given a place of honor asked what flag it was. "That is the flag of my country," said the proud gentlewoman, who at 15 years of age had presided at the White House. The Chicago woman had intuition and wisely kept silent, and soon forgot the incident in listening to her friend's brilliant recital of a foreign tour which she had made while the country was disturbed by war. She particularly al luded to the kindness which was shown to her as a daughter of a former Presi dent of the United States, and to the courtesy of officials who forwarded her trunks without disturbing their con tents because the first one they opened had an American flag spread over the inside lid. "As soon as they saw the stars and stripes they closed the trunk and hand ed me the keyB," Mrs. Semple remarked with appreciation. Then the overburdened feelings of her friend gave way. She rose in se' vere dignity and pointing to the "Bon' nie Blue Flag" framed on the mantel cried: "And yet you call that the flag of your country!" For a moment there was danger of another war, but the two women oom- promised by a flood of tiara, and a rec onciliation with their arms about each other, but there was almost a national significance in the incident. M. L, Payne in Chicago Times-Herald. To Cure on.i iputlon f orever. Tskk t'ltxfiii'CtD l uiidv Catlmrlic 10c crCTo. If v. v. v. iiti wvuiv, urugKok rtiuuu uiuut'y. placed in the hands Mexico and the Papal Church. The following article was contributed to the April number of the Altruist by L. K. Washburn: Less than forty years ago the Rom ish church was all-powerful in Mexico. It bad acquired vast possessions until two-thirds of all the property in the republic was held by her bishops. Ca thedrals, churches, monasteries, nun neries filled the land. Did this wealtby power establish schools and educate her children? No! A more Ignorant, degraded people could not be found outside of another Romish country. The priest was supreme. But the hour came when the greed of the church could no longer be toler ated. The church was stripped of its propel ty, and the idle, lazy drones, who had lived upon the Industry of the people, were driven from the land. In Mexico today no religious institution can acquire real estate; the law does not recognize monastic orders, nor does it permit the sister of charity to wear her robes and beg for the church on Mexican soil. It is a fact that the peo ple of Mexico after 300 years of Ro manism are chiefly distinguished for il literacy, superstition, and moral degra dation. This is the legacy of Roman Catholicism to every nation. Dr. McGlynn said a few years ago: "It is not risking too much to say that, if there were no public schools there would be very few parochial schools, and the children, for all the church men would do for them, would grow up in brutish ignorance of letters." It might be queried whether this priest would tell the truth about Ro manism, but it Is safe to say that be would before he went back to the churcb. The state should say to every cit'zen within her borders: If youcannotsup port our public institutions you had better emigrate. I do not believe that this government was founded to give aid and comfort to. enemies of political or religious freedom. I do not believe that any organization thst is opposed to the education received in our pub lic schools has any business in this cou ntry. We do not need and we do not want people here who demand the liberty to establish a despotism. We have no room for a church that is afraid of knowledge, that declares that the sec ular schools of the United States "can not be frequented with a safe con science," that they are full of "deadly peril." I agree fully with the late Mr. Corri gan of the Massachusetts state board of education, who said: "Our institutions are purely American, and those who object to them we can well afford to lose." But the difficulty is, you can not get rid of them. Archbishop Williams, in an address to the clergy of his diocese a short time ago, urged then, to establish Catholic LAST subscriptions to THE AMERICAN for that on July 1st, 1898, all unpaid subscrip of our attorney for collection. If you owe schools in every parish. He should have urged t'aem to see that their par ishioners sent their children to some school and tave the state of Massachus etts from the disgrace of having one hundred and twenty-one thousand per sons ten years of age and over who are unable to read and write. Il is a fact that nearly the whole nine thousand persons in Fall River who are unable to read and write in any language are Roman Cat holies or children of Roman Catholic parents. The Romish church knows that the fleet of right education is to make man independent of priestly control. For this church to educate her sub joctsIn any fair sense of the word, would be to commit suicide. Roman Catholicism has confessed its fear of popular education and popular knowledge. It bad confessed that if it keeps up with civilization it must leave behind Its theology. It knows that science is its executioter. Every nat ural fact is a witness against it. It has to hope only in prolonged darkness. It dies at the sunrise of truth in the soul. The whole stock in trade of Roman ism is superstition. It has nothing else to preach, nothing else to teach. It Is a dead religion, and fitly reads its prayers in a dead language. Instead of letting in the light of the future it shuts out the light of the present. None of its products are worthy of this age. Its dogmas, instead of being guide-beards on the road of life, are only scarecrows. One teacher is worth a thousand priests; one wife and moth er a thousand nuns; one husband and father a thousand monks, and one man a thousand Roman Catholics. The Romish priest makea a preten tious use of the word morality today, and lays particular emphasis upon the necessity of moral education for the young. The moral trimming on the religious gown of the Roman Catholic church is very scant and narrow. There are nine parts of theology to one party of morality in its creed. The noblest life that ever left its splendor in the memory of man, unless it were united with faith In the empty super stition of the church, would not receive one word of praise from the consecrated lips of bigotry that speak for Roman Catholicism. THE NEW AMERICA. We here give a notice of the New National Ode as sung for the first time at a patriotic meeting in San Francisco about a year age, as reported in Light of that city: "Last Sundsy 's meeting at Metropoli tan Temple was one of the most suc cessful of the scries commenced and carried on by Ex-Prlett Ruthven. A large audience began to gather as early as 2 o'clock. At 3 o'clock the large auditorium was well filled, as Prof. Werner, the eminent and popular mu ALL. slclan, stepped on the platform to open proceedings with a grand organ volun tary. As the laBt chord died out Mr. Ruthven Introduced Mrs. Plttslnger, the talented and well-known poetess, who recited her latest literary produc tion, "New America." This is a poem of great merit, and Mrs. Pittslnger'i effort met with a hearty burst of ap plause. New America is set to the music of a popular German air, entitled "Andreas Hafer" and it was magnifi cently sung by Prof. Dubois, a baritone of rich timbre and great compass, who was again and again encored." The copy of the poem as furnished to us by Mrs. Plttslnger Is as follows: Speed on, ye Sons of Freedom! Gird on your mighty shield! There is no time for halting; Your foe is in the field! Our watchmen stand upon the wall, To arms, to arms! their bugle call; Speed on, ye brave and free, Our fleets are on the sea! Beware, ye valiant Freemen, Your foe is ever near! He sounds bis brazen trumpet, That all the land msy hear! He sounds his trumpet, as he stands Behind the heathen Romish clans, Whose trail is like a brand Of terror in the laid! B gone, ye meddling trait jrs; Your pledges are in vain! Your criminals acd paupers Should breed beyond the main They are a but den and a curse, A deadly stench, and what is worse Their hungry maws are fed Upon our children's bread! To arms, to arms, ye soldiers! March on, ye loyal braves! Ye never shall be conquered While our Starry Banner waves! Ye never shall be conquered while Its welcome hues upon us smile, Whose charms shall crown the dawn Of Freedom's golden morn! O, Freedom, golden Freedom, Thou art our crown of light! Through all the coming ages Thy glory shall be might! Thou art our helmet and our shield, Our hope upon the tented field; The Star in whose bright ray Our heroes fiud their way. Protection is thv watchword, It is the magic charm! It nerves us for the battle, Prepares us for the storm' It is our Nation's bugle-call! Speed on, ye Freemen, 'tis her call! O, gird your armor onl The vlct'ry shall be won! Orangemen Endorse Offer of Troops. Minneapolis, Minn., May 30. The State Loyal Orange Lodge completed its annual meeting last week. A resolu tion was paseed endorsing the action of the Supreme Grand Mas-tor In offering to President MuKlnley 200 O00 Orange men to help maintain the botoe of tho country. The annual report show that there are at present seventy-two ledges la Minnesota with a merubornhlp of 6,792. The caul) balance on band Is 11,275.67. The Orangemen are in favor of free Cuba and endorse "Dewey's Pills" to bring it about. Major General Leo sounds well to them and so does the same title for Joe Wheelur. Many Or angemen are already enlisted. Zamuott. Anti-Koiusn Works by iilrtdstune. Following Is a lUt of the books which the Kt. Hon. William K. Glad stone wrote In contravention of the ar rogant and prepoxterous pretensions of the Roniinh churcb: "The Vatican Decrees in their Bearing on Political Allt'gianoe"(I874);"VatlcanUra"(1875); "Speeches of the Pope" (1875)-whlch three works were published together, with a preface, in 1875, under the title "Rome: and the Newest Fashions In Religion." Mr. Glad .tone committed to writing powerful and unanswerable arguments against the extraordinary claims of the Church of Rome and against any union of church and state, demonstrating himself to be a pract ical and able antagonist of political Roman Ism. A. B. Knowledge kills many papal myth. no matter bow old they may be. Bigotry is the mirror of credulity. True religion is out of place la mass house. Truth may be put In the grave, hut it won't stay there. When the forces of patriotism are divided treason cornea out ahead. If Rome does a charitable act It la to gain favor with those she can after wards rob. Remember that bruising the aer- pent'a head la safer than pinching his tall. Give Rome use of our politician and she will soon control our fOTern- ment. There can be no real love for Amer ica when the pope is the ruler. All papists are bigoted no matter how liberal they may make out to be. Rome makes it a religious duty to oppose the publio rchools. Rome finds slander a better weapon than a bowle knife. Those who would lead men to oppose Rome must look up her record. Take up any of your great world problems today and you will find the pope has his finger in the pie. There isn't much patriotism in the heart xf the man who aids Rome in gaining power in this country. The best remedy for national apathy is to let Rome introduce some of her old methods of persecution. The papal praising college profesaor is one of the pope's best workers in this country. It is much easier to be contented with party pandering to Romanism than to steadfastly oppose it. A narrow headed bigot is the popes' idea ofa first class man. Thinkers al ways give the popes trouble. The man who lives only for himself is always opposed to reform measures. When a man has a heart big enough to love all mankind without respect to creed, be is too good for the pope. The politician who is always on the hunt for votes instead of feeling the pa triotlc pulse will never fight political corruption. No man is living up to his political duties who falls to oppose the enemies of national peace, purity and prosper Hy. , Public Sotice. The Northwestern Line Daylight Special now leaves the U. P. Depot at 6:40 A. M , arrives at Chicago 8:45 same evening. No change in the other trains. Overland Limited 4:45 p. M., and the Omaha Chicago Special at 6:45 A. M., arrives at Chicago 7:45 and 9:30 respectively, next morning. The most advanced Vestibuled Sleepers, Diners and Free Parlor Chair cars of course-Whatelse would the "NORTH WESTERN " have? 1401-Farnam st. Miss Florence Nathan, one of the handsomest young ladies in San Fran Cisco was on Sunday last chosen as the "Daughter of the Regiment" by the Nebraska boys now at Camp Richmond waiting to go to the Phillippiues.