Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1907-07-06

Surely Americans cannot complain
at the lack of honors which foreign
countries and societies are bestowing
upon citizens of the United States for
noteworthy achievements and distin-
gushing services And while there is
no undignifed eagerness on the part
of Americans for medals and decora-
tions, there is still a warranted pride
in receiving such marks of distinc-
tiOn. The already long list of those
who have been thus honored is grow
ing apace, and if all whose names ap-
pear there were to form a society of
decorated Americans it would start
out with a membership far in excess
of that with which most organizations
begin.
Such a society would not be in
much favor with intensely democratic
Americans who have been wont to re-
gard decorations almost in the cate
CORY of bribes, but such feeling is
surely without warrant and is growing
less each year. Said Count Cassini on
this point not long before he left
America for Spain: 81 have received
33 decorations, and can it be possible
that according to the old notion /
have been bribed 33 times? l have
recommended the bestowal of many
decorations, but they were given in
recognition of favors rendered without
thought of a return. Indeed, ! have
many times during by life been very
glad that l could make use of such
orders. Men have done me very kind
and substantial favors. / could not in
honor offer them $100 or $500. They
would have been insulted by such a
crude form of gratitude. The only re-
course at my command was to give a
| decoration OF a gold snuffbox. The
latter the recipient would never use
and could find little pleasure in, so
have chosen to give the decorations
where l could"
Congress has but twice in 20 years
given its consent for officers of the
government to accept decorations that
have been rendered them. Further
more it is the law that all decora-
tions that foreign governments may
wish to give to American officials must
be deposited with the state department
until the question whether they may
be accepted or not is decided
Thus it is that there is a beautiful
order in gold of Grand Officer of the
Legion of Honor lying in the vaults Of
the state department for Gen. Chaffee
Some time congress may allow him to
receive it. The time may come when,
as with Admiral McCalla last March,
he lies on what his fearful family or
dearest friends think is his deathbed
Or it may happen that even then the
desired permission will be withheld,
and only after the brave old soldier is
dead and gone will the decoration pass
to the hands of his wife and children
to whom it will be a treasured testi-
mony to the worth of the man whom
it was intended to honor. And yet if
the order were to be allowed to be
given to Gen. Chaffec he could not
wear it as other men wear theirs on
public occasions. No officer of the
army or navy nor any civil employe
of the government is permitted by law
to wear such an emblem of favor with
a foreign potentate. This applies to
the retired officer as well as those in
active service.
Once in long while an official has
a chance to get a decoration by what
is at least pardonable evasion of the
law. Secretary H. II. d. Pierce last
year, when he resigned his post of as.
sistant secretary of the state depart
ment to accept the appointment as
minister to Norway spent day in
private life between the two positions.
and in that choice interval took good
care TO call for his decorations. which
had for years, in some cases, laid in
the vaults Of the department Among
them were the Order of the Double
Dragon, conferred by the Chinese gov.
ernment, and the cross of a comman.
ler Of the Legion of Honor
In the same way William f. Will
ouehby, formerly expert of the bureau
of labor, and lecturer on social eco
nomics at Johns Hopkins and Harvard
stepped out of government employ a
few days before accepting his appoint
mont as treasurer Of Porto Rico. and