Mr. Storer to Mr.
Sherman.
Legation of the United States,
Brussels, November 30,
1897.
No. 59.]
Sir: In obedience to your instruction No. 60,
dated November 19, I at once addressed a communication to Mr. de
Favereau, the minister of foreign affairs, of which, bearing in mind the
probable lapse of time before an answer is to be expected, I beg to
inclose a copy.
The matters complained of, I am told, are not of recent origin nor has
this abuse of the American flag been confined to Antwerp alone. The
so-called American Circus Companies and the Wild West Indian Shows
several years ago gave great notoriety and excited much comment in their
efforts to give a national character to their enterprises by using the
flag for advertising purposes, and, I regret to say, many tradesmen
claiming to be Americans, or who deal in goods of American origin, have
adopted the custom of thus using the national emblem to exploit their
private business.
As soon as the reply of the Belgian Government is received it will be
reported to you.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure to dispatch No.
59.]
Mr. Storer to Mr.
de Favereau.
Legation of the United States,
Brussels, November 29, 1897.
Your Excellency: The attention of the
Government of the United States has been turned to the fact that
certain persons in Belgium have been employing pictorial
representations of the flag of the United States as a means of
advertisement of individual trade for the purpose of private
gain.
In addition to what my Government is bound to consider this lack of
respect for its national emblem, the persons seeking this method of
obtaining notoriety for their private business have defaced the
representation of the flag by printing upon and over it the sordid
details of trade advertisements.
For a clear understanding of the subject-matter, I beg to inclose for
the inspection of your excellency and for that of any officer of the
Belgian Government to whom your excellency may see fit to transmit
the same two advertisements of the kind I speak of, which were
recently used with wide publicity in Antwerp.
I am informed the same means of advertisements are now being used in
Brussels.
Recognizing fully the friendly feeling always shown by the Government
of His Majesty the King of the Belgians toward all expression of the
wishes of the United States, which is fully reciprocated, I feel
sure of a continuance of this disposition when I say to your
excellency that, should a way be open under the constitution and
laws of Belgium to prevent in the future such or similar employments
of representations of the American flag which are so distasteful to
the Government and people of my country, the taking of such course
by the Government of His Majesty would be a gratification to the
Government of the United States.
I profit, etc.,
