The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-06


Asxious That He should Have the
Project Abandoned - France Out
wittcd In the Decision ON the Dom
goIn Fund.
Copyright, 1896. by the Sun Publishing
Associa ton.
London, Dec. S.-Every self-respectiug
American in London is indignant over the
spectacle presented during the past three
days Of prominent newspaper "cadging'
the British public to send in their shillings
to buy Christmas present for the am
bassador of the United States to the
court of st. James. 1t is the source and
method of raising the so-called national
tribute which irritate and disgusts more
than the thing Itself This statement i'm.
plies no serious reflection upon the Daily
Telegraph, which ranks as an enterpris-
ing and influential journal in English es-
timation. 1t has its peculiarlties, how.
ever. One is to start some idiotic, silly
season discussion every summer and run
1t as the most prominent festure OF the
paper until everybody is sick Of any ailu-
sion to the subject. Another Is to start
some popular Christmas subscription list
early in December, and boom the thing IN
every possible way, until the arrival Of
the holidays brings welcome relief to the
readers of its columns. The lists are daiv
printed under headlines bigger than any
others in the paper, and everybody who
SENDS shilling is entitled to write a letter
from few lines to half column in length
which the Telegraph will faithfully repro
duce. Last year the object Of the Daily
Ieiegraph's ostentatious benevolence was
the crippled children of London; this year
is 1t the American Ambassador Last
years fund was raised to provide toys for
delighted benefciaries; this year II is to
buy beautiful. set of Shakespeare's works
for the grateful representative of the
American people. 1t requires three coll
umns of the Telegraphs valuable space to-
day to make known the fact
that about fifty individuals have
sent sums varying from shll-
ing to five guineas to swell the fund.
Sir Henry Irving and Dean Hale are two
contributors whose names will be recog-
nized by the American public. Then are
interviews with various anonymous "infu-
ential Americans resident in London" who
say nice things about Mr.. Bayard person
ally, but it is noticeable that they refrain
from characterizing the Telegraph's gift
project" 1t Is significant also that
the reports from America re-
garding the effect Of the proposal
on public opinion there are quite
contradictory. The Telegraph's corre-
spondent quotes Mr.. Coudert. ex-csov.
Flower, Bishop Potter and President Eliot
of Harvard, as expressing much pleasure
over the tribute to the American ambas-
sador's amiable qualities. On the other
hand all the other correspondents who
mention the matter say that public senti-
ment on the subject is a mixture of dis
gust and Indignation.
The other London journals have always
been silent with respect to the Tele-
graphs perennial eccentricities, but this
time the Chronicle has been moved to pro
test. Yesterday and again to-day it de-
nounced both the bad taste and the
morale of the project. 1t says to-day:
eve have thought that the natural obJec-
ton to such a gift would be obvious even
to those who are not familiar with the
technicalities of diplomacy. First, such
proposal must be in its nature offensive
to the American people. They know per-
fectly well that no ambassador Of Eu-
ropean power would be allowed to
consider the acceptance Of such
proposal, and, therefore, they must con-
clude that in the eyes of the proposers
the American representative is placed on
a level Of less dignity. Second, Americans
like any other sensitive nation under the
circumstances, will feel the implication
that their ambassador is being rewarded
for something beyond the performance Of
his duties and they VIII naturally say
that they only desire him to be treated
with perfect justice, not with favor. The
Telegraph's proposal was quite certain to
evoke comment In the United States hos
tile to Mr. Bayard himself, such as that
telegraphed by our Washington and New
York correspondents to-day, and thus to
defeat its own end. slight acquaintance
with American affairs would have enabled
our contemporary to foresee this. From
every point of view the proposal was a
mistake, and none the less so because we
all cherish warm regard and sincere re-
spect for Mr. Bayard, and because the
sentiment which prompted Il was one
shared by everybody. Lord Mayor Phil
lips we observe, on sending guineas TO
the fund for gift to the American am
bassador-what a shock the mere words
convey--says that he Is proposing to en-
tertain Mr.. Bayard at the Mansion house.
This Is a natural and perfectly proper
trIbute Of good viii, and II the journalists
OF London should desire TO do the same
there is no consideration, except perhaps
that Mr.. Bayard himself would prefer
that there should be some bounds to our
affection, to hinder them from carrying
| out their hospitable desire"
There is a painful uncertainty with re-
gard to the attitude of Mr.. Bayard him
him honor. Most OF the Americans In
London expected that not later than to-
day, at least the Telegraph would with
draw, with what grace II could, us un-
precedented proposal. Unfortunately
there is nothing to Indicate that Mr.. Bay
ard has made any protest. English re-
porters have endeavored 10 interview him
on the subject, but he has refused to
see them. His secretary, IL Is said, is
| authority for the statement that the Tele-
graphs Intentions were unknown to him
until the first appeal for funds was print
ed Thursday. l do not think any Ameri-
can correspondent has felt called upon
to ask Mr.. Bayard whether he proposes
to allow one of the principal journals Of
London to tout for funds TO buy him a
Christmas present. 1t must be admitted
that his position is an awkward one, but
so is that OF every one OF his fellow citi-
zens in London. They will soon give ex-
preston to their resentment II he does
not put q damper on the proposal
II has been so long since IL was possi-
BILE to record anything like a successful!
move In British diplomacy that II Is
matter OF some satisfaction to call attsn-
tion TO the clever outwitting Of France la