The morning call., 1893-11-18
MANNER OF THE MAN.
Peculiar Doings of "My Special
Commissioner

S(hiiaf Oh Nt SP~SAAi
Commissioner"
1t is becoming known at Washington
that President Cleveland's action as re-
CARDS the Hawaiian matter is based
solely upon the report Of my special CON-
missioner" James III. Blount OF Georgia.
Whereat there is much surprise, and sew
eral well-known Democrats have expressed
ast0nlshment that the administration
should be content to formulate a policy
with this report and nothing else as
groundwork. John l.. Stevens was Min
ister to Hawai for a dozen years, yet his
reports are thrown into a waste-basket,
and those of my SPECIAL commissioner"
who was SIX months on the islands. used
instead. Worse than that, the Georgian
is allowed to contradict Mr.. Stevens, and
the contra dictiOn is used as perfectly re-
liable.
Men who have known ex-CoDgressman
Blount are now telling some strange
stories, which amply illustrate his narrow
mindedness. Outside of Georgia politics
and the routine OF Washington life he
never stepped until he was speeded to
Honolulu on one of the most important
diplomatic missions of the age. 1t is said
that while a member of the House Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs his frequent
bulls" caused his comrades much amuse-
ment. But il was when on his own for
eign mission that "my special commits
sioner" shone in the light of an end man Of
a minstrel show.
IL will be remembered that he went from
San Francisco to Honolulu on the revenue
cutter Richard Rush. 1t was his first trip
on the ocean, but one would naturally sup
pose that a member of Congress would
know something about a steamer. espe-
cially at time when naval affairs were
constantly coming up in the House. But
the third day out from port, which was his
first day on deck owing TO seaslckness he
approached. the officer on watch aud ex-
claimed:
"Where's the whirling thing. the thing
that goes round and round and makes the
ship go? Where is it located?"
You mean the propelier?'
"Yes"
That's at the stern, near the rudder."
"Oh! is that SOP Thanks"
The next morning "my special commis-
sioner" was on deck when the men were
washing down.
''Where do you get the water from for
that?" said he.
The officer pointed at the ocean.
81 reckon you think you are smart" ex-
claimed the Georgian, and he dove down
below.
There were two men whose missions to
Honolulu could easily be told by those
there last spring. One was Charles Nord-
hoff, the other was James II. Blount. The
day the former landed he said, 81 have
o,,t hx,t ba
down annexation and / am going to do it,"
Mr.. Blount said nothing. but his every
action proved that.his one aim was to be-
little aud discredit Minister Stevens in
every manner.
The dining-rOom of the Hawaiian Hotel
was unusually crowded the evening when
my special commissioner" made his
first appearance. for of course every body
wanted TO get good view of him. At one
table sat Major Wodehouse, the British
Minister. and family. At another was the
French Consul-General and Mr.. Fugii, the
representative of Japan. At other tables
were naval officers, members of the Pro-
visioDal Government. men who had held
high Offices under the monarchy and men,
bers of the Supreme Court. Louis, the
head waiter, sensible 10 the comfort OF all
the guests. had placed the table whereat
my special commissioner" was to sit in
a position where every one in the room
could see it without that conscious turning
of the head. 1t was admirably done, and
some limited that Louis had been tipped to
do so.
Soon In walked the Georgian and took
his seat. Soup was easily disposed of, but
when 1t came to the fish-"Mamma, he is
eating with his knife" said little girl.
OF course, it was all over town within a
few hours. A man may be a good diplo-
mat and eat fish with his knife, but it was
one of the many little things that 60 to
make the whole.
Within week Admiral Skerrett gave a
dinner to MIR. Blount inviting President
Dole and mem bers of the Cabinet to meet
him. The next day this was the sentence
that was passed from mouth to mouth:
Just think. the United States Commits
sioner attended wearing an old sack coat"
There is another story about the differ
ences between ''my special commissioner"
and Admiral Skerrett which caused them
to act coldly toward each other and finally
resulted in the rear-admiral being trans
ferred to the China station. 1t is that the
naval officer hiuted to the diplomat that it
might be well for him to wear dress coat
upon such occasions. Whether that is so
or not it is known that at similar dinner
given by President Dole a fortnight later
my special commissioner" wore "swal-
low taiP' and it was made by Honolulu
tailor.