Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-28
TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT
Tho Gossip Over an Alleged Breach Of
Etiquette
No Representative of the President
dor to Express Sympathy.

Persons who claim to be conversant with
official obligations under such circum-
stances say that Secretary Gresham was
guilty of q breach Of international etiquette
in having failed to call on the French am
bassador to express the personal sympathy
Of the President at the untimely murder Of
the president of the French republic. The
Matter has been prolific source Of gossip
In diplomatic and social circles, and the
verdict of the more punctilious Is that 1t
vas the duty of the President as a matter
Of pure civilty and custom to have sent a
personal representative or a message to the
French ambassador to express his condo
lence. Such visit by Secretary Gresham
or by Private Secretary Thurber. or in fact,
by any one representing the executive
would have fulfilled all requirements. This
course was promptly followed in all the
capitals of Europe, so it Is said. In Lon
don the British prime minister called in
person at the French embassy within few
hours after receiving official notice of the
death Of the head OF the French govern
ment.
Visits by Representatives of Other
Countries.
Similar visits were paid to the French
embassy in this city by all the ambas ssa-
doris. ministers and charge d'affaires OF
other countries, as we'll as by Gen. Scho-
field. several naval officers. members of
Congress and private citizens. The list.
however. included no one representing the
executive branch of the government and
II Is said that neither the President nor
his Secretary of State considered ii neces-
sary to send the representative Of the
French government the usual message Of
sympathy.
tary Gresham at the Arlington Hotel Sum-
day night, and informed him of the attack
on President Carnot, and he called on him
twice the next day at the State Depart
ment confirming the report OF his death
Mr.. Patenotre also called at the White
House Monday and yesterday, and COM
municated his official advices to the Presi-
dent. According to custom in such mat
ters. these courtesies should have been
recognized by a formal visit to the French
embassy by representative Of the execu-
tive within twenty-four hours To leave
card at the embassy was all that was re-
Quired to show the Presidents interest in
the matter. but even this small formality
was neglected.
No slight Intended.
There Is no pretense. even by his enemies
that the President intended any slight in
this matter. At its woret, II was only q
case OF thoughtlessness. and In view of the
sympathy expressed by the President in
other ways. especially In his message to
Congress and in his telegram Of coincidence
to the French government through Ambas-
sador Eustis. this apparent lapse Of inter-
national courtesy will undoubtedly be over
locked and forgotten by those directly con-
cerned. 1t 10 said at the State Department
that while II would have been proper for
Secretary Gresham or Private Secretary
Thurber to call upon the French am
oassador. at the same time there was
TO improperly in the omission Of such a
caafs inasmuch az the President and Secre-
tary Gresham had each expressed his SYM
pathy to the French amba ssador on the oc-
caSion Of his visits to them