Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-26
MIR. PIERRA,s RESIGNATION.
A Secretary Who Keeps the Pan-Ameri-
can Congress Busy.

The delegates to the international American
conference are very much stirred up Just now
over what would seem at first glance to be a
rather trivial matter. The disturbance has its
origin in the repeated designations Of Mr.. F. G..
Pierra, one of the secretaries of the conference
Rumors of irremediable friction between Mr.
Pierra and other attaches Of the conference
have been floating around in the diplomatic
atmosphere for some time. The executive Off
| GER of the conference, Secretary Blaine's lieu
| tenant. is Mr. William E. Curtis, the we'll
known newspaper man, and of him information
was sought by STAR reporter
WHAT Mr.. CURTIS SAID.
The reporter found Mr.. Curtis at the Airing
ton hotel yesterday evening, surrounded by
cooks, caterers, florists, decorators and mu-
sicians, making the final arrangements for the
Carnegie banquet
''Great Scottn he exclaimed, when aues-
toned, somebody has been leaking again; but
Its a matter OF no consequence whatever. Mr..
Plerra, our Spanish secretary, is a very learned
and accomplished gentleman and man of
luxurious tastes. He finds that his expenses
here exceed his compensation, and failing to
obtain an increase he resigned Some of the
foreign delegates persuaded him to withdraw
his resignation, and that is all there is of it."
And MIR. Curtis rushed of with Manager Ben
nett to taste the soup and see that the pies
didn't burn on the bottom.
MIR. PIERRA's ENGAGEMENT.
But. Notwithstanding the judgment of Mr..
Curtis as a newspaper man, the reporter dis
covered by inquiry among the delegates that
there is a good deal in the story. 1t appears
that MIR. Plerra, who is Cuban of literary
tastes and some social prominence in New
York, sought the position of Spanish secretary
10 the conference, as was supposed at the time,
Tor the honor there was in it and not for pc
cunlary profit. He was elected over the oppo-
sltion OF Minister Romero and some of the
older delegates, who did not think any man
gagged in commerce with Central and South
America Gas Mr.. Pierra isl should be officially
connected with the conference. All agree that
he has made "a most efficient secretary, but his
extreme sensitiveness has made not only him
self but all around him very uncomfortable.
THE FIRST RESIGNATION.
His first cause of offense was the refusal of
Mr.. Curtis to put young man named POLKA
mus, his private secretary. upon the pay rolls.
During the early sessions some of the profound
secrets of the conference leaked out and got
into the newspapers. Polhamus, who was
charged with this, was prohibited from enter
ing the building, but Mr.. Pierra insisted that
he should be still retained as his private secre-
fary and paid by the government. As Mr..
PIerra already had a stenographer, Mr. Curt
refused to yield the point and Mr.. Pierra re-
signed. The executive committee succeeded
IN smoothing the matter over and Mr.. Curtis
found another man to assist Mr.. Pierra i'll writ
ing up his minutes of the every -other-d ay
meeting of the conference and the resignation
was withdrawn.
OFFENDED BY MR.. BLAINE's ACTION.
But within the next two or three weeks the
secretary resigned again because, it is stated,
of the refusal of Mr.. Blaine to take him into
nj Mt nil Of he a
night. 1t appears that he felt it to be his duty
to consult Mr.. Blaine frequently upon the bust
ness of the conference when Mr.. Blaine did not
wish to be consulted Mr.. Blaine's order for
him to confer with him through third person.
Mr.. Curtis, he considered personal affront
and ne sent in his resignation the second time
Mr.. Plerra, being finally assured that Mr..
Blaine did not intend any affront and that he
was only suffering from a deprivation that
every one else labored under, withdrew his
resignation again.
HIS COMPENSATION NOT SUFFICIENT.
But about the first of this month he sent in a
third resignation. He happened to be absent
from the city on January 31-which was the
first pay day after his appointment had
never called for his salary. Mr.. Howe, the dis
bursting officer, sent him check for the amount
in polite note, which Mr.. Pierra returned
saying that the compensation was not sufficient
In plain United States language he '.struck."
The executive committee (Which seems to
have had little to do except to act upon Mr..
Pierra $ resignations) had another meeting and
after hearing from that gentleman a statement
OF his grievances referred the matter to Mr.
Cornelius n. Bliss as subcommittee Mr.
Bliss had several talks with Mr.. Pierra and sue
ceeded IN persuading him to withdraw his
resignation But 1t did not stay withdrawn
On the 18th instant Mr.. Bliss received a letter
from Mr.. Pierra asking what decision had
been arrived at las to allowance as compensa-
ton for my expenses" To this Mr. Bliss re-
piled that the Department of State had fixed
the compensation of secretaries at SO per day
and called attention to the fact that the same
sum was allowed the United States delegates,
which was more than the salary paid under
secretaries of state or clerks to legislative
bodies. Then Pierra slapped in fourth resig-
ton, which was presented at the meeting of
the conference last Friday, but went over to
allow the executive committee to prepare a
statement of the case for the information of the
conference. This statement contains all the cor
respondence between Mr. Pierra and the other
officers and delegates on this subject and saws:
'Since the 25th of November, when he was
elected secretary, Mr.. Pierra has repeatedly
rendered his resignation to the executive COM
mlttee. but after comforting with that commit
tee, either at its formal meetings or i'll private
interviews with its several members, has each
time been persuaded to withdraw it."
REQUESTED TO WITHDRAW 1T.
Since then, however, nine of the thirty-six
foreign delegates have signed the document
requesting Mr.. Pierra to Withdraw his resigna-
ton, and Monday Mr.. Pierra sent a COM
munication to the conference saying that in
Difference to the urgent solicitation of a large
number of the delegates he would resume his
duties secretary but as the compensation
allowed him was entirely out of proportion to
the services he was performing he would de-
cline to accept it and would act without pay
The conference has referred the whole matter
to the executive committee and it remains un-
settled.
Mr.. Pierra, who is stopping at the Richmond
was seen by STAR reporter this morning and
asked if he had anything to say He declined
to make public his feelings in the matter, but
stated that at the proper time he would make
PLAIN the whole matter from his standpoint In
the meantime the conference is limping along
with one secretary.
Cannot Contract With a Canadian,
Andrew A. Lewis, for Christ Street church,
Lewisburg, Pa. has asked the Treasury de-
partment curious question, in which the
scope Of the alien contract labor law is involved
resident Of Lewisburg and citizen of the
United States removed to Canada with his fam
lily some years ago with the oath OF allegiance
to the queen Among the members of his fam
lily was boy. who has since become a minister.
and his fathers old friends at Lewsburg de-
sire to call the son and minister to Christ
church and ask the Secretary of the Treasury