The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-12
GEN, kENNEDY'S SUCCESS IN
SHANGHAI.
The American Consul General the Most
Popular United States Officer
in The East.
Special to tile Nears and Courier,

! 1Ao Vic oSlHS SGCaluCl CuIcIo GuS
broad mouth Of the Yangtse, the
little sea- as it is called by the na,
tives, only low, fiat lands are visible.
At Woosung, the Floating city,"
with its happy passengers, enters the
Hwangpoo River and passes up ten
miles, with nothing for the eye to
rest upon save the mud banks and
the green fields of growing rice-"t1e
staff of life" to the hive of natives
when suddenly a mighty city rises in
the distance, and the sluggish stresm
is covered with fleets of merchant
steamers and men.3f war; bearing the
flags of all the great nations Of the
earth.
Forty years ago the little walled
city-a county seat-had $4,000 peo-
pie; now the population is 100000
and yearly increasing. The 1000
foreigners annually handle the trif.
ling sum of two hundred million dol
lars. The foreign residences, mostly
in the rear Of the settlement, are all
''villas,' and mile and half along
the river front, called the "Bund,'
there rises line of palaces, banks
and commercial houses. Just at the
bend Of the river. and the mouth Of
the Soochow Creek, stands the Ameri-
can consulate, commanding the en-
tire view Of the garden, the harbor
and the magnificent Hongs.
When, two years ago, a dispatch
was printed from the San Fran.
cisco papers, "Jobn D. Kennedy, Of
South Carolina, is appointed consul
general at Shanghai" there was a
buzz in diplomatic tircles. WHO is
this?' "A Confederate brigadier?:"
By long line of predecessors the
position had been filled by American
gentlemen from north of Mason's aud
Dixon's. No one ever stepped into
the social life of the Eastern me.
troplis with more ease than did the
representative Of the Palmetto State.
He was not alone. The wife that &C.
companied him possessed the rear
combination Of simplicity. gentleness
and grace. which causes the daugh-
ters Of the South to charm all ranks
and classes of every nation and
cline. The papers always speak Of
him as tue popular consul general"
Though commerce rules the port,
Shanghai is decidedly a literary con-
munity. The Debating Society was
dropping with 50 nominal members.
Our friend was placed at the head
and the roll now has 250. Our Eng
lish brethren, though wise in council.
are slow of speech. The ready tongue
of a Southern orator puts him quickly
as the, Cicero Of far Cathay. The
Daily Neacs urges the young men to
attend the society and listen to the
president speak as model Of elo-
quence. On every public occasion
he is pat forward.
The consulate general is the most
Important American post in China.
The consul is coroner and Judge Of
probate, postmaster and register Of
shipping, police magistrate and Judge
of the Supreme Court. Criminal
cases and suits involving a million
dollars alike come before him. He
is in control of all Americans IN the
port, living or dead, on land or the
sea, besides being responsible for all
the consulates in china.
American coDsuls justly deserve
the praise sthey receive. The Eng
lish consult international law and
take down volumes Of statutes bound
with red tape, while the American
acts, at least so foreign residents Of
other nationalitics say. The fame of
the Camden consul general is as far
reaching in Asia as his influence is
felt and his courtcsles have been ex.
tended. Last summer distinguished
consul in Japan, speaking Of the
present incumbent, said: "He is the
finest United States officer in the
East" and his many friends rejoice
in his success.