The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-27
DIPLOMATS IN WASHINGTON.
Their Manner of Life and some of
Their PecuIiarities.

Washington. March 26-An the diplo-
matte complications in which this govern
ment Is now involved are productive OF
considerable gossip. which, while not news
in the strict sense. is interesting.
In the first place. the troubles in South
and Central America have brought into
unusual prominence the ministers from
the republics south OF US. Your CORES
pondent has had occasion TO meet several
OF them within the past week or two. and
the impression has not been favorable
one. With the exception Of Minister Ro-
nero Of Mexico. and Mendonca OF Brazil.
the representatives sent 10 the United
States by the southern republics are not
of class to inspire enthusiasm for their
people. Senior Romero is a really able
man. He has lived so long In the United
States as to become thoroughly Ameri-
canized, is man of great tact, fully con-
versant with diplomatic procedure and
usages and has good judgment. He lives
In fine house on / street, near Cham
berlin's famous restaurant, and with his
American wife entertains lavishly. Senior
Mendonca, the other exception TO the gem
eral rule, Is a man of great wealth, OF
nne appearance, and possesses the finest
private collection of paintings outside OF
the famous Walters gallery In Balu-
more and one or two collections in New
York city. He is a lover OF music, and re-
Gently gave a series OF musicales, al
which the principal attraction was the
Mendelssohn Quintette Club Of Boston
brought here by him at his own expense.
He has a delightful family, and invita-
uons to their entertainments are eagerly
sought.
But. with these two exceptions. the
South and Central American ministers
are not impressive. They live In out-of-
the-way boarding houses. draw very
meager salaries, and are never heard OF
except when their countries indulge In
revolution or their territory is menaced
by foreign power. Then they have to
be hunted up by the correspondents and
their names get into the papers and the
world knows that they are In existence.
They are all Spaniards. all talk English
with broken accent. and are all victims
of the cigarette habit
Another diplomat who has been brought
into prominence Is Ambassador Paunce-
tote, a fine old English gentleman who
Is her magesty's ambassador here Sir
Julian is typical Brltisher, tall. well
formed, well groomed and with the En-
glish side-whlskers cropped close. His
hair Is very gray, his manner dignifed
and his Anglo-SaKon is uttered with a
genuine English accent that Is the envy
OF all the Anglo-maniacs. He is the one
member OF the diplomatic corps who de-
mands an audience with the President
or the Secretary of State at any time
When he enters the white house and
sends word to the President that he is
waiting an interview, the President al
ways leaves his desk and hastens to meet
him. The ambassador OF Great Britain
"A ~ ha frfg aI
does not hesitate TO let this government
know it,
one curious thing about Sir Julian's
correspondence is that IL is always print
ed. The English government prints
everything. Every two weeks the am
bassador gets big bundle of printed
matter, including all the letters which
have been sent out or received by the
British foreign office. In this way he
is kept posted as to all the developments
of England's foreign policy The En-
glish do these things better than we do
1t might be said that printing the LETT
ters destroyed the likelihood Of their se-
crecy. The British government guards
against this in a very practical way
Across the top of each letter is printed
I'm red ink the warning that II II is miss
ing from the archives OF the legation a
fine OF 5000 pounds will be imposed In
other words. Sir Julian keeps the paper or
else ne pays A2O,OO0.
No wonder that when he had occasion
to send a copy of printed letter to the
state department. as he did the other day
he sent a trusted secretary with IT, The
secretary never let the paper go out Of
his sight and seemed greatly relieved when
IL was returned to him.
Minister Thurston of Hawaii, another
diplomat whose name Is now In the pa
pers is a man OF medium age, quiet In
his manner, swarthy in his complexion
and with black beard which he wears
In pointed fashion. OF all the foreign
representatives here, he is the most pop
ular with the newspaper men. He Is tho
son OF American parents, although born
In Hawaii, and he has none OF the snob-
blshness and affectation with which the
foreigners surround themselves. He talks
freely to those whom he knows he can
trust and says that never yet has a cor
respondent betrayed his confidence.
Mr.. Thurston lives unpretentiously in
an apartment house near the Metropoli-
tan Club. He was married a little over
a year ago and has a charming baby girl
He would much sooner talk about his baby
than discuss diplomatic affairs,sfor he Is
thoroughly domestic In his tastes and hab-
its. He Is not given much to society and
hardly ever frequents the clubs. He Is
SO modest and gentlemanly, and yet so
able, that he does not lack for friends
and II is this personal interest In him
which leads to so much criticism of Secre-
tary Gresham's action in demanding his