Conservative *
ANOTHEK rilOHLKM FOK DIPLO
MACY.
Amoricnii ombassadors abroad have
many difficulties with which to con
tend. They think they are obliged , for
the sake of keeping up appearances , to
live far beyond their official incomes.
Whether or not this is an idle notion
matters little'since deference to it has
become a precedent stronger than writ
ten law. Now arise new troubles.
Inspired by the gorgeous peacock , its
feathers tossed by the breeze , n shim
mer of color , or perhaps having listened
to the seductive tones of a tailor , the
state department is inclined to favor the
adoption of a court-dress , the uniform
of diplomacy , the badge of high office
and another inroad upon the over
worked income. True , the court-dress
may be impressive , but it ill comports
with the theory of democratic sim
plicity. The ambassador who may look
fairly well in the ordinary garb of civil
ization might look otherwise were his
trousers to pause at the knee. Much
would , of course , depend upon the calf.
Shall , then , the aspirant for station
abroad be compelled to submit to an ex
amination as to the picturesqueness of
this essential portion of his anatomy ?
Shnll the lean be rejected , the over-fat
told first to train down ? As to the use
fulness of a court-dress.there can hardly
be a question , since it must include a
sword. No American feels entirely at
ease unless armed. However , the sword
is not the accustomed weapon here.
The six shooter is more familiar to the
touch , and could not become entangled
among the feet , thereby causing a rat
tled etnbassador to commit a/a uxpas. It
is easier to draw , and the appropriate
ness of drawing it in a drawing-room
appeals to reason. An ernbassador ,
during a pause in the conversation , by
shooting the lights out , would certainly
attract attention and make a hit. He
could never hope to do this with a
sword.
Years ago there was a prescribed
diplomatic uniform. In 1814 the Ghent
commissioners agreed upon a suit
deemed becoming and dignified. It
consisted of a blue coat embroidered
with gold , white breeches , gold knee- ,
buckles and white silk stockings , shoe
buckles , sword , and small black hat
with a black cockade. For grand oc
casions this beautiful costume was made
somewhat richer , and doubtless the
Ghent gentlemen would have compared
favorably for impressiveness with any
spangled set of circus-riders. John
Quincy Adams recommended this cos
tume , and he was secretary of state ,
fully qualified to know what was what.
The process of evolution gradually
divorced the American from the pomp
of velvet and tinsel. His gold buckles
have since been 'found useful as heir
looms and in the propagation of family
trees. President Jackson , assisted evolution
lution by ordering a simpler uniform ,
and , in 1853 , Secretary of State Marcy
instructed the nation's representatives
ibroad to dress after the manner of
American citizens. There was no mur
mur of dissent , because the representa
tives had an uncomfortable feeling that
the old rig made them look like a lot of
vmatonr theatricals.
But as nil things move in cycles , out
of the dim and distant past the memory
of the court-dress comes to assume
material form. Congress , in 18G7.forbado
its use , but perhaps Secretary Hay can
win it over to his way of thinking , and
[ ft embassadors at least wear a cocked
iiat and boar a sword , as Buchanan did
after the usher had firmly but courteous
ly bounced him from the diplomatic
tribune at the opening of Parliament ,
for refusal to array himself in splendor.
They permitted him , as an international
concession to wear his own clothes.
Hay yearns after the gilded frogs and
the rich embroidery of other days. He
does not propose that in comeliness the
army and navy shall outdo the personnel
of his own command.
The distinguished author of "Little
Breeches" ought to be content to let his
fame rest upon this achievement , and
retire from the breeches line. No bowlegged -
legged embas ador can be made to wear
anything he does not wish to wear.
Such compulsion would conflict with
tli at part of the immortal document
which guaranteed to the individual the
right to pursue happiness. Could such
a one do this in knee-breeches and a
clanking sword ? The question of uni
form ought to take a change of venue
over to the attorney-general. The
Argonaut.
NEBKASKA'S PKOVIS1ONAI. GOVEKN-
MENT.
The state historical society has issued
the third volume of its valuable series
of documentary history of the state. In
full the title of the latest book is "The
Provisional Government of Nebraska
Territory" and the Journals of William
Walker , provisional governor of Nebras
ka Territory , edited by William E.
Connelly. The book has a complete
and scholarly index. It will be re
viewed in these columns soon.
The work which the historical society
is doing for the state in the preservation
of records and the publishing of these
journals is not sufficiently recognized.
On the occasions when the annual meet-
in s of the society is held , or on the
appearance of a volume like the one just
mentioned , its real activity and unique
function become apparent.
J. Sterling Morton , of Nebraska City ,
is the president of the society , Mr.
Charles H. Gore is treasurer and Prof.
Howard W. Caldwell is secretary. Mr.
Jay A. Barrett is librarian and assistant
secretary. The members and officers
are scholars and lovers of learning.
They are anxious to spend money and
time to foster learning and to cause to
he written and preserved for the use of
scholars and historians , hundreds of
yenrs hence , the records of a great state
in its infancy and youth. In times
when every action is determined upon
or rejected by the measure of gain the
nobility of the devotion of the members
of this society to its purposes is unobscured -
scured by many other examples of the
same description.
Among the most devoted members of
the society was that gentle scholar and
brilliant lawyer Judge James W.
Savage , of Omaha , who was its early
president and an original investigator
of the ethnological evidences of early
explorers. Lincoln Courier.
There are a number -
TIN SOLDIERS.
,
ber of colonels in
Nebraska whose warless records , gun-
less valor and battleless renown make
them almost equal , in military achieve
ment , to Col. Win. Jennings Bryan
himself. The colonels to whom THE
CONSERVATIVE alludes have declared
THE CONSERVATIVE a liar because it had
literally quoted and published an ex
tract from the pen of Colonel Bryan
saying , without regard to grammar : "I
assure you that it is the money that is
in the office and not the honor that
attract mo. "
Is it possible that the leading charac
teristic of Bryauarchic finance is to be
grafted upon grammar so as to have
sixteen nominatives to one verb ; or
sixteen verbs to one nominative ? How
would this new style appear in state
papers ?
Will some shootingless colonel kindly
"tide" the public "over" this "begin
ning here" of an innovation upon Amer
ican literature ?
JOY MORTON & CO.
MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS IN
ARGO STARCH O A I T SAL SODA
CEREALS OMU I SODA ASH
General Office , Rier No. 1 , Chicago.
Shipping Docks and Soda Factory :
0. B. & 6. SLIP I. C. PIER 1 , CHICAGO.
BELT BY. , C. R. I. & P. , SO. CHICAGO.
Salt Works :
WYANDOTTE , MICHIGAN.
HUTCHIN80N , KANSAS.
STARCH FACTORY AND CEREAL MILLS , NEBRASKA CITY , NEB.
