Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-15
HONORs AND DECORATIONS. :
Many of Them at the State Depares
ment Awaiting Congregational Action.

ment Awaiting Congregational Action.
The Secretary of State has submitted an
interesting question to the consideration Of
Congress. 1t involves the disposition Of q
quantity Of decorations. jewels and medals
presented to officers of the United States by
foreign rulers and potentates. and which
cannot be accepted without the consent Of
Congress. They have been accommodating at
the State Department for several years ana
their safekeeping has become a Job OF no
small magnitude. Secretary Gresham has
sent list of the articles to Senator Morgan
and Representative McCreary. chairmen of
the foreign affairs committees. with q writ
ten request that they endeavor to secure the
passage Of an act which would enable him
to turn the articles over to the persons for
whom they are intended. Neither OF the
Congressman named likes the job and Is not
apt to undertake IT with much enthusiasm.
Consequently the outlook is not encourag1ng
for the early distribution OF the foreign
gifts. The list is a long one. covering ten
typewriter pages Of foolscap. The cross OF
the Legion of Honor is conferred by France
upon the officers of the army and navy who
attended the exposition OF 1889. and also up-
on the army officers who attended the grand
military maneuvers OF 1881. These include
Gen. Schoefield and Gen. o. o. Howard.
Prof. Cleveland Able of the weather bureau
gets decoration because OF his service to
gets a medal from Chile for his services to
the army of that country during the war
with Peru, and Admiral Shufeldt wants au-
thority to accept a sword. carpet and other
Sultan of Zanzibar. There awaits Com
mander Dickens of the navy the cross OF
the third class of naval merit from Spain az
a reward for his attentions TO the Duke Of
Neragua; but, strange to say, nothing has
been done for Commander Davis, who was
the representative OF the President OF the
United States near the person OF her royal
highness, the Infanta Eulalie," last sum.
mer. The Infanta gave Mr. Davis a golden
toothpick or some such trif1e TO remember
her by. but the Spanish government has not
decorated him for his services TO the queen.
Twelve naval officers have decorations
awaiting them from the late King Kala-
kaua OF the Hawaiian Islands. and as many
more decorations from the government OF
Venezuela Some of these are from Guzman
Blanco. the former dictator OF that country,
to commemorate their attendance at the
dedication OF a statue he erected to WASH
ington. Others are granted 70 the officers
OF the navy who escorted the remains OF ex-
President Paez to Caracas and Commo-
dore John Walker and Surgeon General
Tryon get them for their attention to the
wounded soldiers OF the Venezuelan army at
La Guayra In the last revolution. Admiral
Luce. retired. gets a grand cross OF the or.
der of naval merit from Spain. to commem-
crate his attendance at the Madrid historical
exposition, and Lieut. McCarty Little gets
one for his skill in reconstructing the car.
avels Of Columbus.
The most interesting item In the proposed
legislation will be that which authorizes
Representative Springer to accept a decora.
Bust of the Liberator. conferred upon him
by the government of Venezuela No rea-
son is given in the communication OF the
Secretary of State why the government Of
Venezuela has seen 1T to distinguish Mr..
Springer above all other American states
men. He merely announces I'm the fewest
words possible that the decoration awaita
the permission OF Congress to accept It