Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

French Imagination, and many an aget
member of the legion sits wondering today
II he had not best die soon, not to mis-
them. If the order is to be abolished!
The new law of 1896 limits the civilian
element of the Legion of Honor to ZION
chevaliers, 1000 officers go commanders
50 grand officers and 20 grand crosses.
BY this you see what q great honor has
been done Secretary Hay and our .presen
ambassador to France. In making then
grand crosses President Loubet made then
two of twenty unique personalities Qutsid'
the army and foreign crowned heads. Yer!
enjoyed this honor.
The yearly foreign nominations to thu
order-military and civlian-are limited t.
382 legionaries of all grades.
This number must suffice for European
diplomats. princes. statesmen, savants
writer's artists, composers, and this Is VIII!
the ambition ''of every American in Paris
according to Ambassador Porter canno,
be gratified.
The entire civil element. without foreign
ers, counts up about 1880. AS the maxi
mum membership is fixed by the law of 1S9t
at 1920 for civilians of all classes, it is
easy to see how near the limit they are al
present and why for every new chevalleI
appointed there are fifty disappointed ap'
plicants.
Lesser Orders.
Meanwhile all the efforts of those in power
is to content the ambitious with the lesser
decorations. Surely 1t would be unjust to
speak Of the Academic Palms and the
Agricultural Merit as the slop-over OF the
Legn of Honor. Nevertheless. just as the
military medal is seen oftener than the rib
bon of the legion on the breasts of common
soldiers, so the purple ribbon of the AGA
demic Palms is most familiar to the button
holes of savantS, artists, writers, profess
sors and composers who have not known
how to advertise themselves in the Partisan
world.
When the Agricultural Merit was found
ed in 1888 1t was saluted with laughter as
THE Order of the Leek." Its star and
wheat sheaf was said to be emblem of the
starry armament, whose stars are count
less: the government could stamp them out
endlessly. to the contentment of all agri-
cultural France.
Note, however, the effect of farmers
pride! The farmer Is a social as we'll as
money power in France, and so, year
by year, the prestige OF the Agricultural
Merit decoration has gone on increasing.
There are indeed, honest French farm
ers who print on their cards. Members OF
the Order of Agricultural Merit, preferred
by the titular to the decoration of the
Legion of Honor" which would indicate
that they were offered their choice
Their Hearts Desire.
You hear Parisians reproach the
Academic Palms, that they are worn by
cafe proprietors, BARRIERS and retail groc-
ers. l know the proprietor of a bath house
who has them. On the other hand, 1 know
Of any quantity of Parisians of wealth
and position who take pleasure In the pur-
pie ribbon.
Note the distinction, there are two grades.
"Oficier dAcademie'' is one thing. and I'M
limited. But "Oh1cer Construction Publ
que" is quite another. Only 1900 of its
ribbons may be issued yearly.
This fact explains the regretable credulity
of large number of Parlsians who recently
paid out good money to sharper for the
ribbon of the lower, unlimited grade.
The sharper proposed to sell them the
plain purple ribbon. So many Of their I'M
deserving neghbors had it that the pro-
posal came to them revelation
Doubtless So-and-so bought his!'
So they gave up their money to the
sharper. Then he told them, do not wait.
Wear the ribbon henceforth. The certifi-
Gates are often slow in being made outF
So they wore their purple ribbon-as some
thousands wear it still-without the shadow
of right They had their hearts desire
of every Frenchman to be decorated
STERLING HELLO.