The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-25
THE CONSUL TO JAPAN
PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT To
HAVE HIM RETAINED.
Consul General Ncfvor >ata 60 Pos
sess the Confidence of American
and Japanese Business Men
Humorous Incident. Displaying
the Varied Demands Made Upon
Representative Abroad.


& AAF AA&tE& -tAtrHr - &saaA tx kRANSNHtAN'A So
Yokohama BY Consul General y. w. Nc
1v0r- lie II wei pasted on watters relat-
ing 10 trade between japan aud America.
as his report Etu show Ills .egal Soiafy
makes aim especially strong in desiln.
with questions o. i8w and cases Of Jus
lice. waise az the sana time his t2cs.
discretion ara courteous bearing give hin
great personal influence among All classes
in tAls cosmopolitan clty. For these rea-
sons he = both efficient aud popular. lie
Is thoroughly acquainted with the deli
cate iufrieacies OF japanese politics and
he has tne ear Of the most prominent
statesmen % the empire. As may be
judged from the actual isurcs. the vast
volume OF the trade between Japan and
the United States passes through his
hands. and he enjoys the unbounded con-
ncence Of the business men. both native
and foreign. AS the best proof or ths
high esteem In which DE IS held. / may
mention the fact that as soon as the news
OF Mr.. Mebnley's election reached Yoke
hama. memorial was set on foot among
the business men or the city petisioning
against Gen. McTvor's removal Ii has
been signed by every representative and
influential element In the city. native and
foreign. The manager OF one OF the larg-
est commercial concerns in Japan. him
self an American. said 20 me last night:
Il differ from Mr.. McIvor in politics. for
/ am sfaanch Republican. but as a bus
mess man and as an American believe
that his removal would be IN the nature
of a calamity" This feeling Is so strong
and so unanimous that the result OF the
memorial TO Mr. Mckinley Will BE await
ed here with interest ! was at the Club.
the rendezvous for Yokohamas bankers
and merchant princes, on the evening
when the news OF Mckinley's election
reached here. The topic OF conversation
on almost every lip was the bearing
q W oh h ala
consulate, and Mr.. MeISor's ears must
have tingied that night at the good things
said about him by men whose esteem 10
well worth having.
A capital story ar the consul generals
expense. told by local paper, must be
I prefaced by the explanation that here, as
easewhere, poker Is hooked on as the
American national game at cards and one
gentleman soberly AYERS that any tourist
processing to be an American and found
unable 10 define jackpot, an ante or a
/ bind. should have his passport cancelled
BE that as II may, the story is none the
( less good.
Consul General McIvor's official position
| demands that his Official knowledge
/ should cover an almost infinite range OF
/ subjects. His personal attachments cover
a range that is even wider still, but.
tfet gh he often errs on the side OF char
ity. and diffuses light on matters for
( which Uncle sam viii not even pay the
| cost of the wick. he is not required by the
regulations 70 divulge all the erudition
/ ne has acquired by his experience OF men
I and things.
I A few days ago an eminentIy respecta-
( bic looking young man Of about 30 sum
/ mers. called IN at the consulate before
( Mr. McIvor had returned from lunch, and
was duly entertained hy the vice consul.
I Mr. Mclean, pending HIS chiefs return.
/ When Mr.. McIvcr arrived. the young man
n tfSH..s srsf. b
| planned that he bad grievance 10 air
II am a British subject" said he and
/ am sorry 70 come and bother you. but
I think have suffered a sad wrong at the
hands OF ore % your nation. and my
f own consul. Mr.. Hail. refuses TO act in
! the case"
He was quite right" acqulesced Mr..
I Mclvor; Just tell me your story. II II Is
+ anything TO do with an American citizen.
/ viii endeavor 10 get Il settled at once"
Thank you. sir. said the man. 1T IN
a matter OF s5s. and 1t only happened last
| night. I've got the evidence here" lie
| fumbied in his pocket for a moment. drew
! out something. looked al e. held II out
under the nose OF the consul general ana
| cried: Now, what do YOU think OF that?'
| This something. which might be regard
! ed as exhibit A IN the case. consisted or a
/ hand" containing four aces and the
/ nine OF hearts. For moment the consul
/ generals eyes sparided, gleam OF en-
| thusiastic approval fllumined them. then.
| suddenly recalling that this visit was a
| purely official one. mis- features assumed
| an expression that might be described 40
| transcendentaliy calm.
Look at IT," repeated the visitor.
What do yeu think Of H.? I'd bet 80 on
| It every tlmei Any man would bet his
shirt on Il. wouldn't your
| MY dear sir" replied the consul general,
Il don't know exactly what you mean.
| Four OF those cards. I gather II. are aces"
yes an they've done me tn the eye on
| I'll amt saying robhlng. but they've TAX
| On ny money on a bluff. Let's see. Yes;
| here they srel The very hand. consul
| Theul's the identical carGsf' And the vis-
lfor hauled out Of his pocket another hand
OF cards which consisted exclusively OF
Wow. consul" said he. them clubs
| o. X. and that's the hand the beggar
| held again me. I grabbed EN- both when
/ ne took my money. Now, ] know as Wei
/ as yourself that four OF a kind beats a
| straight or a flush. and / had four aces
| They have taken possession Of my ~,
| which behavior you. as a consul and q
/ gentleman. VIII see is low-down fraud
| What am / going 10 DO about II
| OFFICIALLY sir" answered Mr.. Mclvor,
| II am entirely ignorant alike Of all games
| az chance or ssliis but before going
| farther in this case. l wish 70 cali yonr
| attention 90 the fact that these 1--WE cards
| are All what you call-er-erT'
.sCiuhsT'
eyes. clubs: and from the pips on the
| aarns I infer they are five consecutive
/ eards OF the same breed. denomination
/ or"
| 'suit. consul"
| Yes suit. Well now. sir. without be-
| Eng able % enfghten you officially, I
| would state 10 sou personally. purely In
| q friendly way mat i can extend 20
| vo,l ABSOLUTELY no hope for the recovery
| ~ vour 81. that b. on the basis ySu set
I eo~th that YOU were cheated out OF the
! rnonev on "A pure issue of values"
/ AS ire man went out crestfallen he was
/ v-aylafd hy Mr. MeCance. tire 1alier. who.
| havfns- learned of bis trouble. asked whv
he had rot gore up 90 any book store and
consulted s.Hovla" on the matter instead
/ * coming down tovyn 20 bother two con-
4 sulatea-
Hove be --,' responded the seeker
| after truth. they al sprung Hayle' Oh
me when they took ms go but I'm not
taking tips on poker il fn3s town from
| anybody else but consul"
Later Ia tho dag. ! understand. Mr..
/ afeIvor sent Z seroi-odiei Communication
| 10 Mr. Han snquirinE why ne had allowed
national % his 20 depart uniformed
/ on such a simple technical p0iat. ana why
| did he sana him 70 seek s1cc0r from one
who vas not Officially Ia a position 70 be
requgred 20 extend the same 20 any but
an American cGtizen2 TO this Mr Han
very properly replied that II would havs
| beer a positive diplomatic dtneourteEy---
I nav more. a CHASTITY breach q inferua-
| si0na1 esiqaette-nad he even suggested