The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 13, 1900, Page 5

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1900. 5 BY WHICH FLAG WILL OUR QITY RBE KNOWN? Artists Agree That the Emblem Must Picture the Fame of His Honor the Mayor. ldeas That May Find Splendid Heality n The Call Offers Some Sugges- tions to the Competitors in the Great Phelan Contest, And Gives Some Advice to the Worthy Judges Who Will Make History in Their Choice of San Francisco’s Banner. Mavor James D, ize of $50 for T the spirit Z f these artists, ;/4 , know the = artistic I N one of the Works. What w about flags is Or perhaps the the disasters of his c opinion, wants probably so made a judge of the spervisor Hotal- possibly to subdue the tastes of the others. Park Commis- known position as and artistic opivLicn hy of consideration. It erlooked by the judges are busy men and ac- s as a welcome relief. possibly is more interested in a municipal sewer system g a banner to adorn the the Mayor's chair of state. Mr. was it, is puzzling his rated park grass plats than over a city emblem. Supe:- Hotaling have Yeen the fastening of an . ry rather than contemplating the of raising a flag over the dome of the City Hall. And if the judges find jn the designs suby St THIS FLAc MIGHT BE EMBROIDERED GOLD oN A LONG GREEN BACHGROUND *e- 4 Woueo D2 A Prwprriar caeir Lesses % ANDTIOUS YEUTMI OF Ouk SITY THE WHITE FLAG WITH THE STRANGE At WIATH THE REIGN OF PHELAN I THE LIFE OF mnEwW SAN FRANCISC BEGAaN >4 an Ensign That Will Float From the Dome of the City Hall. given to San Francisco the flag of the Phelan hat. The effect therefore has all the charm of art and the force of truth. Few people in San Francisco ever realized 80 keenly before perhaps how much his Honor the Mayor holds in his hat. In offering his suggestion for a flag for San Francisco J. A. Cahill pictures what a great many people of the city have felt in deepest conviction—that anything typ- ical of the metropolis would fail of truth- ful representation unless dominated by Mayor Phelan as he sees himself and as others see him. In that double char- acter of saint and sinner his Honor the Mayor towers above the peninsula, his face glowing in the light of self-esteem and his back plastered by the mire of acts which do not call forth an expression of commendation. Mr. Cahill is evidently not impressed with the Mayor’s choice of judges who are to sit In judgment upon the design of flags submitted. When his Honor selected the judges he chose neither a saintly man nor a practical polit n, and both would be absolutely necessary to pass critically upon Mr. Cahill's suggestion. But it Is offered for what it is worth. Perhaps Mr. Phelan, recognizing as he did in the Biggy affair, the “needs of the public good,” might comsent to pa: dgment on the saintly half of the proposed flag, and Sam Rainey certainly could be induced to gerve the people by telling what he thinks of the artistic justice of the other half. If aspirants for the Mayor’'s prize are truthful as well as artistic they will find cA_SCHEME SOME THOUGHTE SUGGESTED BY A FLAG FOR THE CITY. IN PLAIN BLACK AND WHITE. in the offering of William J. valuable suggest vinced that future efit more by hav severely antjque a that idea Mr. K dream. He has er d his Honor the Mayor and placed a side that fam: bez to wield stars, nc monarch, set upon gold bricks, with longer deceiv which Issues ambition—his Se: With an exuber: of ki Kelly has also made delica to the dead hopes of his Henor such references as these which will give historical value to a flag of San Fran- should not a municipal flag, no three colors in w red blue—typl 2. the three stages of mental fee city as the change was ac color serves as a_backgre panel and each panel is the story of local history Even the Mayor will find something to praise in this suggestion, and it is not unlikely that if it be adopted by some competitor for the prize his Honor will convene the judges of the contest in se- cret session and commune with them as he has so _kindly done with other com- missions. It would not be unwise for the judges to demand an understanding on this point, as his Honor, as is weil-known, is a stickler for pians and specifications in these things. And although he has a very keen knowl- edge of what a stuffed jury is, he knows also that the stuffing is likely to slip away. He is likely, therefore, to remove one of the judges at the last moment for the public good, and when such humilia- tion can be avoided the judges should selze the first opportunity in an under- standing. The suggestion of G. A. Bronstrup will probably also meet with i Ay it is_faithful to the regal idea, aithough Mr. Bronstrup has failed to suggest the now famous dinners, at one of which Mr. Phelan tilted full at certain towers as another beclouded knight did at the wind- * mills. In the proposed Bronstrup flag. however, his Honor the Mayor is given full credit of his “hefting” victory. Mr. Phelan might i list of contest condi upon competitors the di quet incident. No event in his Honor's career won him perhaps so much distine- tion. The affair posgibiy will live greener in his memory perhaps than any other. Gordon Ross is firmly convinced that full justice cannot be done to the subject unlessan elaborate color scheme is used. He believes, as do the others, that Mr. Phelan symbolizes San Francisco, and that r. Phelan can recelve a pictured reality only on a long sreen background. Without Such a supporting background Mr. Ross says that the central feature of the en- tire flag would lose individuality, become insipid and fade away. But that is an opinion to which Mr. Ross is probably en- N Tl T Gl - gestions, and this m o sents them with a hope that they may be valuable to the compeutfl for m to the judges and to Mr. Phelan, to the public they are not uninteresting.