New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28
ORDERS IN ORDER.

Announcement Is made Of the formation or
n new order of patriotism and antiquity ana II
is predicted that other organizations WHICH u!
stretching a point may be said to be OF slillar
character will promptly hide their diminished
heads or die of humiliation. This latest chliu
of time and heir of the ages is deslSnaleu Ut the
outset as the Order of the Twenty-nine, but II
may lust possibly be deemed uhwise to adopt
that as the permanent name; for human nature
Of the most sublimated quality is still fallloie'
and q subsequent discovery either that thir-
,ieth individual was lncontestably eligible or
that one of the original bunch was an impostor
would require change Of mineral and lead 10
other awkward complications.
To get down at once to concrete racts, the
Order of the Twenty-Five is dedicated 10 the
nroposltion that nobody is fit TO be member
of il whose ancestor did not have coat-of-arms
with him when he landed on the stern and rock
bound coast Of New-England. 1t should be I'M
bestatingly acknowledged that this is yer!
compact and simple test Of eligibility. IL en-
trelv forestalls for example, the embarrassment
which sometimes arises when an applicant TOT
hereditary honors is confronted with evidence
that he is descended from pirate. The Order
of the Twenty-nne proposes to steer clear OF all
such perplexites and annoyances. All it asks
Is an indubltable coat-of-arms which was
brought ashore at Plymouth Rock or some other
authentic landing place OF course it may be
objected that the beautiful simplicity OF this
test is married by suggestion or unfalrness'
II IA we'll known that the Maydower was over
crowded Dr. Holmes estimated that II must
have contained Of old furniture alone. Ito judge
"by what Is still on hand, at least hundred
"loads" and 1t Is more than probable that some
of the prospective patriots the passenger list.
contemplating the danger of shPwreck' either
left their coatsOf-arms on the otner size OF
dropped them overheard. But 1t must be as
sumed that this point has been duly consderen'
and that the conclusion is that nobody VINO
failed to foresee the formation Of this society
and the consequent necessity OF preserving his
coat-of-arms was fit to confer title TO mem
bership upon his descendants. On the whoe'
we are disposed TO think that for such an IN
stitution as the Order OF the Twenty-Five the
wisest possible test Of eligibility has been Sc
lected.
But how about the other societies Of more or
less antediluvian prOcvities. whose origin ana
proceedings we have chroncled with sympa-
thetic interest in recent years as fast we were
able to catch up with them? Are the Sons or
the Revolution and their contemporaries OF the
American Revolution, and the Daughters or
both the Founders and Patriots, the Colonial
Danes and all the rest under any obligation to
wall and gnash their teeth and give up the
ghost? Not on their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor. This coat-of-arms enrol
ment is most engaging, and when the time comes
for a general confession that American institu-
| lions are played out It will doubtless prove 10
| he Of great utility But in the mean time there
is room enough and to spare for all sorts OF In
| sigma and every variety of shrine. There aren't
| half enough of them. Let us have Orders OF
the Sons and Daughters Of the Original Bean
| Baker and the Lneal Descendants Of the Dis
| coverer of the Pumpkin Pie, and the Founders
| Of any other good old thing that anybody takes
a fancy TO commemorate. It's free country.
| and it never was freer than 1t is to-day.