Wichita eagle., 1889-04-02
INTERNATIONAL MANNERS IN THE
SENATE.

I'M GhNAI1ONAL MANNERS In LEE
SENATE.
G. W. Curtis in Harpers for April
There was recently debate in the
United States senate upon the question
of changing the highest title which we
give to foreign ministers-that of envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipoten-
tiary-tO ambassador. 1t was PROPOSE
ton to discard title which is cumbrous
and grotesque, as if borrowed from Chi
nese diplomacy, and to substitute the
the distinctive name applied to foreign
representatives by the constitution.
There was no increase of salary con-
templated, and the reason alleged for
the change was the promotion of the
public convenience.
1t was proposition so simple, urged
upon grounds so plain, that its immedi-
ate adoption might have been assumed.
But it provoked very warm discussion,
and it was attacked as if it were an in
sidious stroke at free institutions and an
attempted remuneration of republican
principles. 1t was alleged with energy
that the American people are the greatest
of all people, and their government the
best of all governments, that we had
thrown aside the tinsel gewgaws of
monarchy and the peacock follies of ar
ti6cial class distinctions, and that the
representative of the American people is
entitled to consideration for that reason
alone, and not because of his title. or his
clothes, or his decorations. Emulous of
Queen Elizabeth's defiance of the Spanish
Armada, "foul scorn" was heaped upon
hapless snobs and dudes and liveried
lackeys The Republican character of
DR.. Franklin as the typical American
minister was duly extolled. and finally
it was vehemently asserted that the
whole scheme of diplomatic representa-
ton is relic of feudalism and the dark
ages. and that the modern age in which
steam and the telegraph and the press
have annihilated space and abolished
time and diffuse intelligence universal
ly as dawn diffuses light, demands
that international questions should be
settled by agents sent for the purpose,
and that the great resublic should no
longer maintain official dunkies at royal
courts to ape an effeminate aristocracy
and discredit sturday democracy.
These were not the words, but this was
the substance of the rhetorical onslaught.
But the OratOricai energy was singularly
misdirected. If the scene had not been
the United States senate, which we are
assured is the most truly dignifed and
essentially august legislative body in the
world, it might have been thought that
the affair was merely humorous ex-
plosion of caricatured Americanism and
mock patriotism suitable for the CEN
tennial year of the constitution. If
senators had not been described as a cir
Gle of American gentlemen, it might
have seemed that some of them. as one
of them remarked-if taken in this vein
seriously-supposed that it would be
more nobly American and more truly
Democratic if the United States should
go around the world with pantaloons
stuffed in boots, with coat and waistcoat
off, and ragged trousers held up by one
suspender.
No good reason has ever yet been sub
mitted why Uncle Sam, because he
wears a hat instead of a crown, and a
business coat instead of court suit,
should not be gentleman, instead of
brawling bully and boasting boor. Sir
Philip Sidney in department and man
ner is quite as good model for Brother
Jonathan as Tony Lumpkin. There is
no senator who goes to dine with the
president or with fellow-senator who
does not wear a dress-coat and white
cravat. and he is just as good Demo
cratic Republican and Just as simple and
an American when he does
it as if he wore a dirty shirt
and muddy cowhide boots which he
planted upon the table. In wearing
the ordinary costume and keeping his
feet under the table the senator shows
that he understands good manners and
the requirements of social courtesy not
that he is at heart an aristocrat and out |
wardly coxcomb. There was not a
hero of all the six hundred heroes who |
charged at Balaklava-
Theirs not to make reply:
Theirs not to reason why;
Theirs but to do and die"-
who would not have recognized every |
little courtesy of the drawing room with |
the same fine instinct that whirled him !
Into the jaws of death,
Into the mouth of hell"
Now there are international manners |
as well as private and social manners. |
There are certain conventions of diplo- |
macy accepted by all civilized nations |
and adopted for the regular dispatch OF |
affairs. As the senator truly remarked. |
if we are to maintain diplomatic re-
Iations with the great pow
ars of the world, we must |
maintain them after the manner il which |
they are universally maintained. If, ON |
the other hand, we will have no such |
relations, there is, of course, no furthe. /
question of the method of maintaining |
them. But if we think best to send min /
sters abroad, and it appears that to call |
one of them an envoy extraordinary and /
minister plenlpotentiary retards the
prompt execution of the business that /
we intrust TO him-and that it does so |
there is no question-why should we /
hesitate 10 call him what the constitution |
,alls him? That ought to be good /
American authority. Washington and |
ais associates in the constitutional con
7ention were not dandies or snobs or /
.oadies. nor were they unduly concerned /
about gold lace, and precedence at dinner
Ind In court circles If they were con-
ent ,prospectively to call an American /
minister 10 any foreign country an 4
we need no. think TO be /
peter Americans by calling him an
agent or an attorney.
But Not Through the Ballot.
he MIFror.
Woman holds the balance of power
'ver man and she can throw that bal
nee 70 the side she wiIls-either for his
rood or his ruin Her influence can