The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-07
A DIPLOMATIC POUR.
Ex-Ministers Tell of Their Ex-
perienceS Abroad.
SPIKE TAILS IN FOREIGN LANDS.
Row the Simple Dress of an American
Citizen" Worries our Ambassador
Tony Pigtails.

Citizen" Worries our Ambassadors
Tony Pigtails
SARATOGA, Sept. 4, 1S90.-TSpecialc CORES
pondencc Of THE HERALD. l-Saratoga i,
booming. The boarding houses are crowded
the hotels are full, and great men ar,
thicker than blackberries in August. A re
markable meeting occurred in the lobby o.
the Grand Union hotel here this morning
-Four noted Americans who have repre-
scented the United States at four of The
world s greatest courts casually came to
gether, and for an hour chatted of theil
diplomatic experience. There at the right
was Governor Curtin of PENNSYLVANIA who
SIX fcct tail and gray haired, has to day as
orighta blue eye and as vigorous frame as
when ne hebnob5ed with Gortchokoff and
counselled with the Car, at the court OF
hdssia, overa decade ago.. Opposite hin
III black clothes and a derby hat, as
stralgnt as a string and with blood
1uu OF iron, stood John E. Ward,
who was the first minister to
Chlna this country ever had, and repre-
dent Buchanan. Next TO Ward was the
youngest Of our American ex diplomats,
1Gr. Oscar Straus, of New York, who made
famous reputation as our last Minister at
Cons.anLnople, and last but not least there
was General Alexander x. Lawton, of
Georgia, whom Cleveland sent 10 Vienna
after the trouble with Kelley, and whose
arrival acted lie oil Oh the troubled waters
OF american and Austrian diplomacy.
GOVERNOR scuKTIN's FUNERAL. EXPERIENCE
These four diplomats were discussing
Tue woes OF the American foreign minister,
ana The subject of our minister's dress
came up. The regulation fixed by the state
department is that eur ministers shall ap-
pear at the foreign courts in the black
swallowtail coats. low cut vests and black
trousers, known here as evening dress, :"
winch Congress has specified as 1.-THE simple
dress OF an American citzen''
That regulation said Governor Curtin.
is piece OF demagoguery of buncombism,
ana snubbery. Ii ought never have been
adopted. 1t clothes the American ambas-
sador in the dress of head servant or a
waiter, and it submits him TO perpetual an
noyance and humiliation. l remember
that shortly after arrived at ST. Peters
burg one OF the ministers of the foreign le-
CAUTIOUS died, and l was invited with the
rest OF the diplomatic corps to the funeral.
III was In the morning and it was bitter
cold. The ceremonies were in cold church
and the body for some reason was not put
In CONN but was laid upon board. When
L arrived there that morning, in the even
ing dress l had to wear. found the rest of
the diplomatic 10 their uniforms of state A
man came around with candies. He offered
me ole, but saw no use for candles, and
uiu not take 1t. L saw, however, that the
rest of the diplomats took the candles, and
the Belgium minister, who was near me-
asked me why l had not taken one. [ told
him i knew nothing o. the custom, and had
refused.
Il fear they will be offended at Won. and
you should have one lighted when we
march around the corpsen
But what am l TO do" said |. at is
now too late, and the candle man has
gone!n
Il will give you mine," was the minis
ter's reply. They will not notice me from
the fact that am Ike the other ministers
and have uniform. You are conspicuous
by your evening dress and would surely
be noticed And with that ne gave me
his candle and stepped behind me.
HOW AN AMERICAN FOOL WAS ORDERED OUT
OPP RUSSIA.
Travellers ought to respect the customs
OF the countries they travel iu,'' Governor
Curtin went on. ut is the veriest snob
berry 10 attempt to force our ideas and man
ners upon other nations, and no one but
blanked fool would think of trying to do so.
L remember codfisn aristocrat who called
upon me while L was minister. He had
letters to me, and / endeavored to treat
him well. | soon found that he had more
money than brains, and l was anxious to
get rid Of him. His own foolishness helped
me out 1t is, you know, the custom in
Russia for all men to take off their hats
when the Emperor passes them on the
street., and the Russian women often bow
themselves to the pavement in salutation.
This is imperative, and it is universally oh
served. The day after this man arrived we
were walking along the street together. and
saw from the connection that the Emperor
was coming. told the man to take off his
hat, and as his majesty passed, in company
with the rest, I uncovered nv head.
knew the Emperor and caught his eve. II
saw he was dlspieased at something. and
turning to my American friend was sur
prlsed to see that, he of all that crowd had
his hat on. l was angry and said. "What
do you mean, and why did you not take off
your hat!'
Oh replied he, 81 am an American
citizen, and take off my hat to no man or
king!',
You don't, don't you.n said |. ..weu
you do very unmannerly thing in not
doing so. Would you not take of your hat
10 the President OF the United States if he
bowed TO you:''
al don't know said the fool. sit would
depend on whether knew him and who he
wasn
"Well l would,n said l. ''whoeyer he
was. If l saw him comiug out of a poor
house or hen COOP would uncover NV /
head as he passed. And | would inform /
you. young man, that you have today com |
mitted an act of discourtesy, which is a |
disgrace TO your American citizenship, and |
you may be very thankful if this is the last |
you hear of it. II was not however. the |
last we heard of it. ] received note from |
the Cars Foreign Office the next morning /
"a very polite note-in French-Uhieh |
read: Your friend with the hat tmention- |
ing the name of the man) pill be permitted to |
leave st. Petersburg and Russia within |
twenty four hours Such a permission |
from the king was equivalent to a command |
and the man had TO CO."
DIPLOMATIC EPISODE AT VIENNA.
General Lawton was the next talker |
Said he: speaking of the dress of our di- |
plomats, am comparatively a poor man.
but assure you, gentlemen, l have seen
the time when / would have given 81 .O0O |
for the right to wear my generals uniform |
at the Viennese court. 1 had to wear even |
ing dress at morning ceremonies, and / /
found myself conspicuous and out Of place /
in the dress of gdrcon. The Austrian.
are great military people, and they could
lot understand why / did not wear INV
lniform. My letters from the Austrian
of foreign affairs were addressed
% me as general, aud / had once most re
interview with the great Arch
Duke Albert, the son of the famous Arch
Duke Charles. He was magnificent
ooking mai, and when I was pre-