New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-28
sented by the extraordinary utteranccs to which
we have called attention here.
DIPLOMATS As CRUISERS

Another Of Mr. Bayard's reputable foreign
emi>sarles has been making an indecent ex-
hibtion of hinsef--this time at Bogota. Ac-
cOrding to private dispatches just received, all
Colombia has been shocked by disgraceful
sugging match between Mr. Jacob. the dls-
tinguished Democrat selected to protect the IN
terests of this Republic at BogOta, and Or.
King. the new Consul General and Secretary
of l. CATION.
Full details of this creditable escapade have
not vet come to hand, and the origin OF the affair
must consequently remain a mystery until the
arrival of DR.. Kings next Consular report. 1t
is known. however. that Mr.. Jacob was the az
gressOr. CO.as-you-please tactics were ell
ployed Gloves were not used. Mr.. Jacob. we
are credibly informed, led off with smashing
right handler, which took DIR. King by surprise
and somewhat staggered him; but he promptly
pulled himself together and, in the vcrnacuar
Of the fancy. countered. amid the wild plaudlts
of an admlring crowd of street arabs, eager to
behold a duly accredited Minister OF these
United States with his cIaret tapped or his
head in chancery. The illustriOus cOmbatant,
it is said, came up putting and looking rather
grOggy. but he gamely tOed the scratch ana
proceeded to annhilate the refractory Consul
Kings blood was up, however, and in the next
round he banged his opponent all over the
ring. Then the belligerents cinchcd, and the
astonlshed rabb saw Minister and Consul
General whIrliDC cOnfusedly in a cloud OF dust.
For few moments the excitement was Intense.
Bets were freely exchanged, the Consul
General being the favorite, as 1t was seen
he knew how to handle his dukes;
-
bad caught TaItar. The Consu-General
broke away, and the Minister went at him with
a well-aimed sockdologcr but the Consul.
adroitly ducking, dealt the Minister punlsher
on the potato trap that etiectually finished HIM
and sent him breathess into corner. "hen
time was called, the Minister failed to respond
and a shout of triumph went up from the adj
mIring spectators, wEo surrounded the victor
and led him away and generously
pumped on him. 1T felt
that another step IN CIVILIZATION bad
been made. The code duellO bad been super
seeded, and. heDceforth heclers and batherskltes
on tie banks of the Magdalena, abandoning
knife and pistol will follow this memorable
precedent and settle disputes with the bottle
and sponge and the twenty four foot rlng
After the battle Mr.. Jacob limped 10 the tele-
graph Office and cablcd to Washington, king
is IA traitor; dismiss him" and while Mr.. Bay
ard was crashing his teeth over this disturbing
lnteIligeLce he received second dispatch,
couchcd IN equally terse and u1mistakabe
terms, " Jacob is crazy; ell him Lome.'
Would it not be more in accord with the
eternal fitness of lngs If the Minister had
knocked out the Secretary 7 Under the cir
cumsiances, being jealous of our rcpute III the
South American Republics, which copy our
institutions and eXhllnt praseworthy emua-
ton of our manners, we respectfully recon-
mend to the consideration of the Secretary of
State that popular and distinguished Mug
wump. the Hon. John Lawrence Sullivan. as
one emincntly qualified to uphold the Minis
t nal prestige against all corners before any
court or government III the world.
Meantime, il becomes serious question
whether something more than popular condem-
nation should not be visited on bruiser dIplO-
mats who transgress the rules of common
decency among those whose esteem they court.
and subject to humiliation and disgrace IA great
people, whose honor they have promised to de-
fend Yet are they more to blame than those
who elevate themi This is unfortunately not
the first dilemma of the kind IN which the
himself. Jacob and King and other
shining apostles of the doctrine of bru-
tishness have represented the true Demo-
crazy perhaps better than he intended. I'm
happy Mr. Bayard With Hanna inviting his
friends to come out and fleece the Argentines ;
Winston prancing before the Shah in his tinsel
and spurs and degrading his high Office to the
fostering of crack Drained railroad schemes;
Hubbard and Buck deadneading their way to
Japan and Peru the pcnurIOus Chids parad-
ing his niggardIincss before all Siam Kelley
turned away from the gates of Italy and Aus
trla, the Secretary of State must feel keculy
sensible of his fragrant malaminlstratOn
These are more than chances; and unless Civil
Service reform il TO be something more than a
name and notorious ncapabilIty to gauge
scamps is to disquallfy for the appointing power
shameless street. brawlers such as Jacob and
King will continue to find themselves in Cflice
and SC ndalOus scenes like that at BOgota will
often be enacted.