The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
If They Hold Office, Americans May
Not Wear Foreign Decorations
Congress Must First Pass Upon the Gifts and Has Now In Safe
By
United Something About These Orders

served with those above are very hand
some six-pointed sold stars, each upon a
wreath of wheat and corn and ornamented
in the center with the allegorical head of
France. These hang from green ribbons
with red stripes. They are the decorations
of the order du Merite Agricoe," insti-
tuted in 1883. a reward for persons who
have rendered services to agriculture. The
French minister of agriculture wishes to
confer it upon George William Hill. editor
of our agricultural reports as a reward for
the excellence of these publications, and
upon the following specialists of the De-
partment of Agriculture in reward for their
valued contributions to science: DR.. Harvey
w Wiley, chief OF the Chemical Bureau;
Henry Z. Alvord chief of the dairy d-
vision; G.. B. Bracket pomologist; w. a.
Taylor. assistant pomologist; NJ. a. Carle-
ton, cerealist, and j. l. Shuttle, assistant
agriculturist
Three wreaths of gold each to be fas-
tened with a violet ribbon. are further
French decorations comforting the title of
Officer de INSTRUCTION Publique" upon
Miss Anna Tolman Smith, translator in the
Bureau of Education; Casper S. Crownin-
shield. our commercial agent at Castela-
mare di Stabia, Italy, and John a. Okerson,
of the Mississippi River Commission. A
very similar decoration, with a wreath of
silver instead of gold, and carrying the
title "officer dacademie," is offered by
France to Captain c. Dew Wilcox, L. S.
A. Captain Wilcox will be eligible to the
decoration of "officer de INSTRUCTION pub
lique" after having worn this decoration for
five 10 hon han fS
silver wreath for one of gold. These two
orders last named were instituted in 1908
by the decree organizing the French Uni
versity
GIFTS FROM KING EDWARD.
Several gifts from King Edward COM
plete the State Departments extensive and
valuable collection. One of these is
souvenir coronation medal, offered to Cap
tain Richardson Glover. U. S. N. who
our naval attache at London at the time
the King was crowned. Another is a South
African war medal offered to Captain
Stephen l.. II. Slocum, our military OBJ
server with the British army during the
Boer war. Very handsome silver inkstands
are offered by the King to Arthur NJ Beau
pre-, our minister to Argentina, and to
George II. Bridgman. our consul at King
ston. Jamaica. While minister to Column
bia Mr.. Beaupre acted as umpire in the
settlement of a claim between England
and that country, and this present is tes-
timonial of King Edwards appreciation of
the courtesy. Mr.. Bridgman, while for
merly our minister 10 Bolivia, performed
similar services in behalf of great Britain
and that country
yf1Ic
act upon, but which have not yet arrived
at the State Department are the ''Order of
Pal Kuk,'' just conferred upon Minister
Horace Allen at Seoul by the Emperor of
Korea: the Star of Ethiopia conferred by
Emperor Menelik of Ethiopia upon Consul
General Robert P. Skinner, Lieut.. c. L.
Hussey. U. S. N, and Captain Thorpe, u.
s. Marine Corps-which three officers were
in charge of the recent expedition to Ad-
dis Ababa-and the ''Menelik' Medal, con-
ferred by the Emperor of Ethiopia upon the
marines and bluejackets who formed the
escort of the Skinner expedition.
In regard to the matter of foreign orders.
it may be of interest to know that through
out the old world there is an almost uni
versal rule prescribing where and how those
of the respective ranks or classes are to be
worn. Those decorated with the grand
cross of any order are entitled to wear a
sash of the distinguishing ribbon, extend
ing from the right shoulder to the left
hip; also the decoration itself upon the left
breast. Those of the grade usually desig
mated by the title of Commander" append
their orders to ribbons about the neck.
Knights and chevaliers wear their smaller
decorations fastened by shorter ribbons to
the left breast.
There has been talk of "omnibusing" all
of these proffered decorations and gifts in
one bill Chairman Cullom of the Senate
committee on foreign relations is known to
be opposed to their acceptance. and Senator
Spooner agrees in the main with the chair
man. Senators Lodge and Frye are, how
ever of the opinion that refusal of these
honors would be slight TO the rulers Offer
ing Them and would be contrary to diplo-
matte usage. If all of the orders and gifts
are allowed the State Department will pre-
sent strictly Christmas day aspect on the
day of their distribution.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.
Copyright, 1901