Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-23

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 undignified eagerness on the part of Americans for medals and decora- tions, there is still 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 society of decorated Americans it would start out with 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 gory 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: T have received i83 decorations, and can it be possible that according to the old notion have been bribed S3 times? have recommended the bestowal of many decorations, but they were given in recognition of favors rendered without thought of return. Indeed, have many times during by life been very glad that 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 or a gold snuffbox The latter the recipient would never use and could find little pleasure in, so have chosen to give the decorations where 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, 1t 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 1t 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. Cnaffee. 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 1t will be a treasured testi- mony to the worth of the man whom 1t was intended to honor And yet if the order were to be allowed to be given to Gen. Chaffee 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 wesr 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 decoration by what is at least a pardonable evasion of the law. Secretary H. H. 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 a 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 commau. der of the Legion of Honor
 In the same way William F. Will oushby. formerly expert of the bureau of labor. and lecturer on social eco monies at Johns Hopkins and Harvard. stepped out of government employ a few dayu before accepting his appoint. nent as treasurer of Porto Rico. and