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Show ' COMMISSIONER IS NOT MEMBER OF LEGION OF HONOR. Paris, Aug. 22. Regarding the accusation accu-sation that he violated the constitution in accepting the election of the grand officer of the Legion of Honor, tendered in behalf of the French nation, Ferdinand Ferdi-nand W. Peck, the commissioner general gen-eral of the United States at the Paris exposition, said today:- "I was especially careful not to make a formal acceptance of the same when presented to me by.M. DeLaunay Belle ville (director general of the exposition), exposi-tion), in behalf of President Loubet. I stated to him that I had examined the laws of the United States on the subject, and that while greatly appreciating appre-ciating the honor, I could not make a formal acceptance at the present time." Mr. Peck has received the decoration, possession of which he still holds, pending advices from Washington. The Paris edition of the New York Times says over ninety applications fair the decoration of the, Legion of Honor have been made by the American commission, com-mission, which is twice as many as made by any other foreign commission. A list was furnished to the French authorities, au-thorities, on their invitation for each foreign commissioner to recommend such members of his staff as he deemed worthy of the cross. Mr. Peck's list included Mrs. Potter Palmer, Mrs. and Michael H. De Young, proprietor of the San Francisco Chronicle, from the national na-tional commissioners; the directors of the various United States sections and their assistants, and most of the important im-portant American exhibitors. The applications for Mesdames Potter Pot-ter Palmer and Daniel Manning were refused. In this connection the Paris edition of the Times says: "Either this is a measure of precaution, in view of the jealous uproar which it would create among French women of note, who have been denied the honor, or perhaps per-haps 4t is owing to certain social rivalries." |
