The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-28

details about "a dream in white and gold''
had to do with the frock of one of the la
dies in the party, and not the attire OF his
excellency, the ambassador.
In the meantime Mrs. Tower has gone to
Berlin. The following description of his
glad rags purports to describe his appear
ance when he pays his respects TO Wilhelm
II. i. In an official capacity. Ambassador
Towers uniform, which he wears at court
and on diplomatic occasions, consists or
navy blue cloth trousers. with gold stripes
about two inches wide down the sides, and
a swallow-tail coat buttoning TO the chin,
with a straight military collar embroidered
with gold heads of wheat The cuffs and
eoattails are also gold embroidered and the
buttons are of gold. The uniform Is similar
to the diplomatic uniforms of other coun-
tries. A straight. diplomatic sword is also
worn and the hat Is cooked and not unlike
that of the officers of the United States
navy, but il has white feathers lying close
to the crown. The civilian attaches OF the
United States embassy wear the same uni
form, but with black-feathered hats"
Such richness And to think of IL. poor
Mr.. Joseph III. Chate, our ambassador near
the court OF St. James's, when he passes
into the presence at buckingham Palace.
does so in the plain black and white OF
evening wear, in which a gentleman is not
to be distinguished from the footman who
opens hall door or the waiter who stands
behind ones chair at private dinner. But
that is not all. If royalty lays a foundation
stone or opens wing OF a hospital and
the diplomatic corps is invited to be pres
ent. Mr.. Choate has to appear in the broad
daylight in the same evening clothes. like
a Frenchman at a wedding at high noon.
This question of court uniforms or no
court uniforms for American diplamatists
is an old one Several efforts were made in
the early days of the Republic TO settle Il.
but without success. At first there was a
tendency to compromise. But public opin-
ion at home was against plush knee
breeches and gold braid. Ii was felt TO be
more in keeping with the spirit of our in
stitutions 10 avoid the frills and feathers
of European courts So from the first quar-
ter until the end OF last century our minis
tiers were distinguished by their lack of
sartorial distinction. Amid the stars and
garters, the tin things and the ribbons, the
collars and silk stockings. the representa-
great Lord Castlereagh on a celebrated oc-
undecorated. Diplomacy unadorned was d.
plomacy still.
There were a few historic exceptions For
instance. when Gen. Il. y. Grub sent
to Spain as minister he appeared at the
punctilious court Of Madrid in the full
dress uniform OF the City Troop OF Phila-
delphia. There was much criticism OF this
IL was pointed out that the only military
attire that should be worn abroad was the
uniform of the United States army.
Mr.. John Hay. the boss OF our ambassa-
doris and ministers. Is busy man. IL Is I'M
reasonable TO expect him 10 take the time
he ought TO give 10 more important mat
tiers TO decide problems that belong rather
to .he milliner. But the government
should insist on uniformity in this matter
and not allow every diplomat 90 do what
seems right I'm his own eyes