The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 18, 1902, Page 3

TO.MOrrow A (FILL PHOTO 8y rMomago. This Great Order Founded by Napoleon WIll Qelebrate 185 First Qentennial. . d this knight- s prosperity for a cen- tury proves that it has stood the test of an ine —~the test of time Five members of this world-famed order ball from Sa men and two Amer Sylvain Welll of Stein, Simdn & Co. was president of the French Hospital at the time the mew bullding was constructed, and Mr. Welll's efforts were recognized by the French Government when he was made one of the Legion of Honor, a so- clety that has embraced the useful, brave and faithful of the sons of France for the last century. A Legallet of the Legallet-Hellwig Tan- ning Company has been looking out for the Interests of France along commercial lines. He was made counselor of com- merce for the Government of France in the United States. There are but two others in the United States that enjoy this distinction. One is at the port of New York and the other at Chicago. Be- sides his commercial work Mr. Legaliet hes been prominent in French charity as- sociations. It was in 1900, when he was appointed juror to the exposition at Paris, that he was decorated with the badge of the Legion of Honor. H. Daliemagne, the French Consul Gen- eral, has devoted the best years of his life to the interests of his countrymen in foreign lands. It was in recognition of his many years of faithful service in the consular service that France made him one of that Legion whose password Is honor. At first only Frenchmen were deemed eligible to belong, and even now none but Frenchmen are made regular members— that is, they only are required to take the oath of fidelity to France; but as the Legion of Honor is an institution based on the recogmition of merit, and merit sco—three French- has no ‘country, many foreigners have been decorated. The two San Franciscans that have been recognized in this way are Dr. C. H. Brigham and Major Rath- bone. During the Franco-Prusslan war Dr. Brigham was appointed surgeon in chief of the Forrest School, at Nancy. He also had charge of the ambulance at Nancy. His endurance, his couragé and his cool- ness at all times won him recognition, and the French Government was glad to show its appreciation, remembering the words of Napoleon, their founder, “It is to the efforts of such men that we owe the ex- istence of our nation.” Major Rathbone was Consul General in Paris, where his broad-mindedness and fairness won the approval of all and were rewarded in a signal manner when he was decorated with the badge of the Le- gion of Honor. France is the only nation in the world that possesses an order based solely on honor. It recognizes merit, whether on military, civil, scientific, commercial or benevolent lines. The walk In life does not count as long as merit marks the ef- Jort, for the brave hero in time of war to the faithful servant In time of peace are recognized as members of this aris- tocracy that is purely a republican insti- tution. Napoleon sald when he proposed the in- stitution that he wished to create an or- der which should replace the arms of honor, which should have the advantage of being given to the soldier as well as to the general, to the peaceful servant as well as to the military man, which should be made manifest In the form of decorations, which were then worn throughout Europe. He wished that the private soldier when he returned from his fleld of action should feel in a substantial way the efforts of his bravery. The originality of the idea of an order based on such a thing as merit was too much for the new republic and it roused ORONHYATEKHA, HEAD OF TH & head of the Order of Foresters Oronhyatekha is a unique charac- the history .of fraternal o tions, a figure that’ stands out in rellef npot only among 1 own race, but those who higher in the scale of r the adjournment of the Woresters at Los y spent a few days A an Franeisco. He had with him his davghier, Karakwineh—Moving Sun To see Oronhyatekha, to knew him, to know his life is 1o have torn down before one’s eyes the faise theory that there is not & fighting chance for a man other thap the white race. In the veins of Oronhyatekhs is the proud blood of « proud race. It is the biood of the Mohawks, chiefest of the Six Nations, who once exacted tribute from all the wandering hordes that peo- pled the territory from the Atlantic to the Mississippl, from the lakes to the Carolinas. But the blood is not that of the whites. And there are those who would question the right of a Mohawk Indian to aspire to place among the all-conquering Anglo- Baxon. Listen, then, to what Oronhyatekha has done: He has measured success by the white man's mark and has brought himself to the highest notch of it. Born on the Mohawk reservation at Bradfcrd, Ontario, more than half a cei tury ago, Oronhyatekha earned for him self an education not less than the best. He Is an Oxford graduate and a graduate of the Toronto University of Medicine, For twenty-five years Oronhyatekha practiced medicine in Canada and the United States, nor was he content until he 5t00d at the head of his profession. For twenty-one years Oronhyatekha hes been supreme chief ranger of the In- dependent Order of Foresters. Taking hold of the order when after seven years of struggling existence It was at the last gasp, he revived it, effected a reorganiza- tion and placed it on a basis that makes the present surplus in the treasury five and a quarter million dollars, with double that amount paid out in premiums. Be- sides he is a thirty-third degres Mason and an Odd Fellow. Oronhydtekha, a man among men, is an \ “THE SUNDAY CALL. the bitterest opposition. “‘Baubles, baubles,” cried the mob, “what care the real men of our nation for crosses and ribbons?"’ “But it Js with baubles that men are led,”” answered the wise Napoleon. “See,” he sald, pointing to the Tulleries, where the brilllantly decorated foreign- ers on alighting: were surrounded by the populace. “How pomp and uniforms ap- peal to the peoplel They love the many- colored cordons just as. they love re- liglous pomp. The democratio, philos- ophers call that vanity, {dolatry. Vanity, idolatry, let it be. But that vanity, that idolatry are weaknesses common to the whole human race, and from both great virtues may be made to spring. With these so much despised baubles heroes are made. There must be a visible dis- tinction for religious sentiment and there Indian—and proud of it. As & boy Oronhyatekha went to the reservation school, and he was not yet 15 years old when he ran away from {hu home of his father and made his way to Wilbraham, Mass., where he lpfn! two years in the Wesleyan College, Then back to the reservation, but not td stay. The Indian bol had felt the lure of the world. He had felt the impulse of manhood, the manhood that is & universal element, that recognizes no caste of color, ‘creed or condition, Oronhyatékha returned to his people that he might by teaching earn money to continue his studies. He taught school for a year, and at 17 entered n- yon College at Gambia, Ohio. In threo years he finished the four years’ course at Kenyon and again re- turned to his people, not, however, to throw his years of study to the wind and turn away from the flerce, hard fight he knew the red man must make for place among the whites. He had done with blanket and paint and tepee, “No,” sald Oronhyatekha, when asked it he belleved the educated Indian was badly handicapped and his opportunities limited. “It is simply a question of fight. The white child must fight his way to succ If the Indian has more obstacles to overcome, it makes him that much bet- ter fighter. te J&his and made up my mind to join the ician, Max must be visible distinction for the noble sentiment of glory."” Glory at this time meant military glory. Napoleon wished to form a soclety in the new republic that should be tranquil and brilliant, of which he should be the head and his military companions should be the upper class; however always “I am a Forester to-day beca their constitution excluded Indians. I resen order, though It took a special dispensa- slun“from the supreme chief ranger to o 1t.” Just about the time Oronhyatekha com- pleted his college course the Prince of h Wales was making his tour of the United States and Canada. He visited the Mo- hawk reservation, and Oronhyatekha, as #on of the/chief of the tribe, was chosen ’r,& present an address to the royal vis- T, from the Prince to ¢ a course at Ox- ler, and Canon who later became identified with .8 Paul's. These thres good men were in & state of perpetual apprehension 1 this son of a once savage race shoul in some way outrage the digmity of the university. ‘While at Oxford this vigorous young redskin lived up to the traditions of his race for physical prowess ly interest in college a fllka.'hll hundred yards in ten seconds. He took a live- tics and could & champion runner he held otball and ;é:}wnb:tlvmnt. ot ay he is honorary president of the Tecumseh Lacrosse Club of Toronto, for, open to men of rising Al who had rendered great: Mflm E ORDE while his sixty-one years preven d pl:ltloipnlon. th‘ is none the less astic as a ron After ohtpl’nlnl pg..". at Oxf Oronhyatekha returned to Canada and be- of medicine at the Toronto Medicine, graduating with r twenty-five years he contin- ued in the practice of his prof ‘when the demands ef of the Foresters made That he was a success is fact that at one time he m The result of ‘this was ah invitation £ in, as their constituf flvfwhody outside the white race. insisted, however, and he consented on condition that there be no misunderstand- ing in the matter. itial how- tion, At however, he embellished this society with the arts and sclences; and it has stood " for all that is the highest in progress In these lines during the century. The first step in the order is knight- hood. - Promotion to the rank of officer may be granted after four years of knighthood; to commander after two years as officer; an officer may become grand officer after three years as com- mander; and the dignity of the grand cross of the Legion of Honor comes after five years as grand officer. During war the time is reduced; each campaign reduces by one-half the num- ber of years’' probation required betweea each step. But these rules are not iron- jcast. Deeds of heroism count for much. nce was a lawsuit, the I being charged with violating the constitution. “Let them prove,” said this man, whose every breath is drawn with pride In his race, “that I am an Indian.”” One of the best lawyers in Buffalo was loyed to defend the lodge, and the fic‘n{t ‘was made on whether Oronhyatekha ‘was lnm Wh‘o‘n h:‘ was put on the stand strongest fire of cross-exa tion could not establish who his ‘was a silent unds that doors g{.mum'«onflmwuh‘uol b W “My people have made great advance- m‘? in recent & doctor. The soldiers are vested with honors af parade. The Legion of Honor is an order of wealth. Its home is a palace, the Palace of the Legion of Honor in Paris. Its pro= ceeds It pays out in pensions to wounded or disabled members and to the education of the daughters of the members. No pecuniary advantage is attached to the civil cross but a regular pension s allowed to the military—250 francs for the knight, 500f for the officer, 1000f for com~ mander, 2000f for grand officer and 3000f for the grand cross. The education of daughters of members is looked after by the organization and schools are estab- lished throughout France. These schools are of five kinds, according to the five grades of the Legion of Honor, and the: girls go to the ome that corresponds te the title of their parent. One day when Napoleon was at Bou logne, where he had gone to superintend personally the decoration of his brave soldiers with the Cross of the | he was riding with the artillery when he stopped, dismounted and asked the artil~ leryman if he could try a shot at & lying in the harbor. Napoleon whenm young man was in the artillery. years bad passed since then and his had lost its accuracy. The cannon ball passed above the ship and fell into water beyond. o “Now you try,” said Napoleen. boy took alm and the forecastle of ship was torn away in consequence. “Good! Good!" crfed Napoleon. “Here,”| and unpinning the badge from his owsn