The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-23
AMERICAN FLAG DIsGRAcED.
Kate Fields Opinion of BoOrish Coun
sci Ewing, at Vancouver.


hHpC fleiu uBHtuBtOi.
An American woman recently assailed
Julien Gordon in the New York Tribune
because this writer in the Cosmopolitan
took American men to task for neglect
of personal appearance. Julien Cor
don is right. Our men, as a
rule, however often they may re-
sort to soap and water, are far too
careless in their attire--so careless, in fact,
as to offer an extraordinary contrast to
our women, who, when endowed with
money, devote more time to clothes than
all the rest of my sex in the four quarters
of the globe. The very woman who sails
into hotel dining-room arrayed in dia-
monds and Worth gowns, is con-
tent with husband who appears
in the same linen and business
suit he has worn all day, and who thinks
and brushed his hair, he has performed
his whole duty to society. Getting into
a dress coat is an event like Christmas and
Fourth of July-a momentary concession
to Mrs. Grundy, rather than an outcome of
eternal fitness and a tribute to home.
AS a final argument, which was intended
to annihilate Julien Gordon, her critic ex-
claimed, "All Americans are gentlemenl !"
From the bottom of my heart wish they
were, but no human being in his senses
dare make such ia statement. Any one
who observes or travels knows that
gentlemen are extremely rare the
world over, quite as uncommon in the
United States as in other civilized"
countries. If all Americans were gentle
men, no such scene could have occurred as
disgraced our consular service in British
Columbia not many days ago. Perhaps as
long as consuls are appointed for political
reasons. this sort of brutality may be ex-
pected. Whenever it does, however, it be-
comes our press to make an example of
the sinner.
On the seth of April Vancouver's Board
of Trade gave banquet. to which all the
local consuls were invited, including Mr.
Jay Ewing, representative of the United
States. After eating through the bill of
fare, Mr.. Ewing asserted his independence
and general fitness for his position by de-
clarlng, according to pies dispatches, that
if the toast "Our Foreign Relations" to
which he with other consuls was to respond
did not Immediately follow the toast, ITO
the Queen" he would remove his injured
honor from the festive board. Had been
chairman I'd have permitted Mr.. Ewing
to carry out his threat; but John Bull is
naturally good fellow, and, for the sake
of peace, Mr.. Ewing was allowed to have
his way.
One would think that such concession,
AZ sucn time, would nave placated the
gentleman" from the United States. Not
bit of it. When the president proposed
"Her Majesty" and the band struck up
God Save the Queen"-which all Joined
in singing-the redoubtable Ewing showed
his gallantry by remaining seated. On be-
ing asked to explain such unseemly con-
duct, this ideal consul replied that, as the
representative of the United States, he
recognized no claim of her majesty.
] leave it to American gentlemen to saw
whether such poor fifty represents his
country, and whether he is likely to ad-
vance our interests, even in the capacity
of a commercial agent. AS a social animal
he has written himself down: genus,
hog.
| wonder how many of Mr.. Ewing's
kind infiict themselves upon a much un-
derpaid and unappreciated service. Does
Julien Gordon's critic call this American
bully gentleman?