Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-17
Lively Debate in the Senate on the
Diplomatic Bill
SHOULD IT Be ENVOY OR AMBASSADOR?
Mr.. Plumb and Mr.. Hoar Talk
Pleasantly to Each Other.
INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL
SENATE.

elect from the state of Kansas for the term be-
ginning March next (replacing Mr.. Ingalls,,
were presented by Mr.. ingalls, and placed on
file.
Also (by Mr.. Turpie) the credentials of Mr..
stead of using the word commissions uses
the word ''certifes."
House bill to establish United States land
court and to provide for judicial investiga-
ton and settlement of private land claims was
reported and placed on the calendar.
Also Senate bill appropriating $4,000 for q
public building at Bismarck, n. ID.
Mr.. Morrill,. from the finance committee, re-
ported back adversely Mr.. Stanford's bill ''to
provide the government with means suiirclent
TO supply the national wanttof sound circulat-
Ing medium" and it was placed on the calen-
dar.
INDIAN CONTRACT SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Dawes offered a resolution (Which was
agreed to) calling on the Secretary of the In
terror for copies of all correspondence between
the Secretary and the commissioner of Indian
affairs and between either Of them and persons
representing different religious denominations
relating to Indian contract schools since July
1, 1880.
House amendments to the Senate bill for the
relief of the administratrix of tine estate of
George W. Lawrence Gin connection with the
building OF monltors) were agreed to.
The conference report on the bill granting
right of way to the junction City and Fort
Riley Street Railway Company through the
Fort Riley military reservation in Kansas was
presented and agreed to.
THE DIPLOMATIC BILL
The diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill was then taken up, the pending question
being on Mr.. Dolph's amendment to increase
the salary of the minister to Portugal from
$1,000 to $4,000.
Mr.. Hoar spoke of the necessity of the United
States conforming to the diplomatic usages of
other nations. Everybody understood (espe-
clally the Vice President, who had experience
OF it, that the custom of nations. established
for centuries. in their diplomatic relations with
each other placed the government and citizens
OF the United States at disadvantage.
Foreign governments treated eacn other not
according to their rank or Importance. but
solely with reference to the question of dinlo-
matte position. A minister OF the United States
having to discuss a matter of high importance
with the prime minister Of England or of
France would be kept waiting until ambassadors
from such countries as siam or Hayti or
Servia or Bulgaria had had their audiences.
1t was a question of the common law of
civilization OF nations which no single
nation could put down or depart from.
except to its own detriment. To show how the
matter worked Mr.. Hoar sent to the clerk q
desk and had read letter from Mr.. Smalley,
the London correspondent OF the New York
Tribune. describing how Mr. Phelps the Amer
ican minister, would see the backs of twenty
three ministers and seven ambassadors before
he could enter the audience room OF the British
premier.
MR.. PLUMB HAS SOMETHING TO SAT.
Mr.. Plumb intiInated that Mr.. Hoar had not
strengthened his position by quoting from a
person who had un-Americanized himself, who
could hardly speak the American language and
who a professional snob. What had hap
pened, he asked, when Franklin was at the
court of France, at a time when names were
not things? Had any one degraded Franklin
because he was a simple citizen of a struggling
people seeking to emerge from their original
condition?
Or had any one spoken of Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams when he was minister to London during
the civil war as less entitled to consideration
than the ambassador from some pumpernickel
country in Europe? The interests of
the United States, Mr.. Plumb said.
did not depend upon considerations of
that kind. The men who expatriated
themselves, as newspaper correspondents
did. were not the class of people who fixed the
policy of legislation for the American Congress.
Public sentiment no longer rested in the eastern
corner OF the country. 1t was going to be fixed
in the interior among the people who, as Mr..
Seward had said in one of his greatest speeches.
resided at the sources of the great waters. The
minded him of a society column in The WASH
INaToN STAR
MIR. HoAR STANDS Up FOR MR.. sMALLEY.
Mr.. Hoar though. that Mr.. Smalley's letter
was pretty good specimen of racy, idiomatic,
sparkling English as it is spoken in the United
States. 1t was almost as good English as that
spoken by the Senator from Kansas-and that
was saying good deal. But the fact was Just
this (and it could not be rubbed out or answered
by sneers at the society columns of The STAR
or by talk about the dignity of this country,
to say in what order its business
should be considered at foreign courts
When the United States used the word
"envoy" or minister" it was just as if it said
''this man whom We send to you is to rank No.
so in bis title to have business considered" :"
But if it used the word ambassador (even
though the pay was not raised or the man
changed) that meant ''we think that our busi-
ness is Of importance enough that our minister
is to be considered in France or England as No.
or No. (according to seniority"
And that was ali there was in the question.
SOME LIVELY sPARRING.
In the course of further discussion Mr.
Hoar suggested the idea Of western diplo-
matte representative appearing at a foreign
court with one of his trousers legs in his boot
and perhaps without stockings; Mr.. Plumb in
dulged in further sneers at eastern refinement:
Mr.. Evarts made a statement in corroboration
OF Mr. Hoar's views and Mr.. Blair humorously
asked to be excused from voting on the ques-
ton Conveying the idea that he might have a
personal interest in it, Finally, on o point of
order made by MIR. Hale, Mr.. Dolph's amend
ment was ruled out and q subsequent amend
ment offered by him to make the salary of the
minister to Portugal 81, 500, was, on motion of
Mr.. Hale. laid on the table.
THE HAWAIIAN CABLE.
Mr.. Mcpherson moved to reconsider the vote
adopting the Hawaiian cable amendment. SO
that he might move to reduce the annual allow
ance from S250, 900 to sl5O.OO0
Mr.. Edmunds moved to lay the motion to re-
consider on the table and the latter motion was
agreed to-yeas 80; nays, 25.
On motion Of Mr.. Sherman the item of &C 500
for minister resident and consul general to
Greece, iRoumania and Servia was changed SO
as to make it read for envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary."
HOUSE.
In pursuance Of written designation by the
Speaker the House was called to order this
morning by Mr.. Payson m.).
Mr.. Thompson (Ohio), from the committee
on the Judiciary, reported resolution for the
impeachment Of Alex. Boarman Judge Of the
limited Etataa diafrief -aSxo~.,