The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-16

ing story.
WAsHINGToN. June 10 Special i
Now that there is so much talk of the an.
nexation of Hawaii and possibly the estab-
lishment Of a protcctorate over Cuba dur
ing the Mckinley administration, It is
worth while TO note the remark recently
made by distinguished senator He said
the United States had never yet made
bad investment in territory. Every bit of
land that we had acquired, whether by
purchase or conquest, had added TO the
greatness and glory of the country "Our
investments in Florida, in Louisiana, and
even in Alaska, turned out to be most for
tunate, - said the senator. 81 well remem-
Der how bitterly opposed many of our most
eminent men were to the payment of ST..
600, 600 for Alaska Il. b. Wash burne,
General Grants great friend opposed the
bill. General Butler made characteristic
speech, in which he secuted the idea that
we should pay this sum out of considera-
tions of friendship for Russia. If we are
to pay this price as usury on the friend
ship of Russia, said Butler, we are pay
ing for it very dear indeed
A Good Bargain.
81 remember that at one moment it
looked as If the bill to purchase Alaska
would be defeated 1t would have failed
as pure business proposition, for no one
believed the country was worth having.
1t was only because Russia had offered it
to us as a mark of her friendship and be-
cause it was feared that it would be exceed
ingly ungracious in us to refuse il that
the opposition finally gave way. General
( Nathaniel Banks was then the chairman
of the committee on foreign affairs in the
house, and he made "a speech which at
tracted great attention. He pointed out
that Russia had been our friend for hun
dred years; that at every step of our his
tory, from 1880 to the moment in which
! he was speaking, Russia had shown her
! great regard for this country.
81 will never forget one passage of this
! speech. In the darkest hour of our peril
said General Banks, during the rebellion,
| when France and England We're contem-
| plating the recognition of the Confcderacy,
| the whole world was thrilled by the APP
| pearance in san Francisco harbor of fleet
of Russian warships, and nearly at the
same time, whether by accident or design,
q second feet of Russian naval vessels APP
peared in the harbor of New York. From
that hour France on the one hand and
England on the other receded from their
position, and the American government
regained its position and power. Now,
asked General Banks, shall we llout the
Russian government in every court in
Europe as IA mark of our appreciation for
its friendship This speech carried the
day. The bill was passed. Alaska became
a part of the United States and is today, as
it long has been, a territory from which
~ pr,lp tal pNf itnae hn
original cost about which SO much fuss
was raised in congress. That was "a case
in which it paid to be generous. "
a Question of Caste.
John W. Foster, formerly secretary of
state, but now our special commissioner
to England for the purpose of trying TO
save some Of Uncle Sans valuable prop
erty in Alaska, the seal life, once told me
a queer story about Ii Hung Chang. 1t
appears that when the great Chinese
statesman was wounded by pistol shot
at the hands of Japanese fanatic Ii Hung
Chang was so mortified that he wanted to
commit suicide. He had himself done
nothing disgraceful, but his person had
been touched in violence by the hand of
low caste man. In the traditions of the
orientals this is disgraceful. The noble
who is thus tainted wants to die in order
to wipe the stain away. 1t was necessary
for some days to watch the aged states
man TO make sure that he did himself no
harm. Mr. Foster and Others labored with
him to convince him how foolish was the
| notion that because u miscreant had at
tempted his life he should feel Inundated
and disgraced. Ii Hung Chang finally
recovered from the hurt to his pride as
well as from the injury to his person.
1. a., 4 l.. H.
own country. Down in Kentucky, where
cavalierish ideas of personal honor and
dignity obtain to this day among the well
born men, there is feeling that one is dis
graced If an enemy touches him with his
hand. An affront of this sort Is never for
| given. An elaboration of the same idea Is
found In the Kentucky code which re-
| quires the lie to be avenged In blood. Hap
| PLY this tradition Is not as strong now as
| 1t was years ago, but it was only a very
short time ago that a high minded, magnif-
icent Kentucky gentleman, ordinarily
calm and gentle of demeanor, went to his
| death in vindication of this article Of the
| code. Every one will remember the dread
| full tragedy at Lexington, KY, few years
ago, in which Colonel Goodloe and Major
| Swope killed one another This tragedy
recalled to friend of mine the other day
one of the prettiest stories in real life /
have heard in long time.
Touching Scene.
~ was at the funeral of Colonel Good
! loe, =" said he. 1.-THE colonel had been my
friend. A warmer hearted, truer gentle
| man never lived. He had eight beautiful
daughters. To them their father was the
hero of the world They worshiped him.
When Colonel Goodloe lay wounded to
death, but still conscious, the physicians
told the family there was no hope; that
the end would soon come. The mother
and the eight daughters then showed they
were worthy to be the wife and children of
Kentucky gentleman. One after anoth-
or they went up to him, bent down over
his face, kissed him warmly and tenderly
and withdrew. Not one of them wept
There was no scene, no breaking down, no
fainting. At the grave, after the coffin had
been lowered, the nine mourners lifted
their wells, looked down into the opening
that was about to swallow their hero for
ever, and with sweet, sad voices together