Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-10
They Are RigidIy Observed by
the Chinese Diplomats.
President Loves Base Ball But Gets
Little Chance to See II.
A Disqraceiul Scene-A Venerable Bishop
Light Needed at the Capitol.


requirements of etiquette to observe in
their dealings one with another. For In
stance, when new minister arrives at
capital to receive his predecessor, he must
90 to u hotel with all his retinue and re-
main there five days before taking charge
This is an act Of courtesy to the outgoing
minister. As the retinae of Chinese
diplomat usually consists of Is or 20 per-
sons, the rule is good ono for the hotel
keepers. After the new man has been IN
town five days he may present his creden-
tials. Then the old minister passes over
to him the great seal, and this is zone
with tremendous ceremony. Not till the
great seal has been transferred does the
new man assume the responsibilities OF
his post Nor does the requirement OF DIP
lomatic etiquette end here. The outgoing
minister must not leave town at once.
That would not be courteous to his sue
cessor, according to the Chinese notion
He, too, must stop at hotel. The time
which he must lingcr near by, ready to
give any assistance or advice which his
successor may require of him, IS fixed at
48 hours When the two days have passed,
and not before, he is free to 90 his way
1t is scarcely necessary to add that all
tneSc pOIits VI ciluGoluG htiO duii w
served on the occasion of the exchange of
ministers at the Chinese legation Il few
days ago.
The New Minister.
The new minister is already becoming
quito popular here. He speaks fluent Eng
lIsh, having been educated in London
where he actually hung out his shingle
and practiced law for a time. His COM
mand of our language gives him tremen-
dous advantage over any OF the Chinese
ministers we have had here in recent
years. and he is making the most of it.
He is as curious as Ii Hung Chang. AT
all the dinners he attends, all the recep
lions, and in all his official and personal
intercourse, he asks innumerable ques
tons. BY the time he receives orders to
move on to some other capitalize Chi
nese diplomats are permitted TO stay only
three years at place-he will be able TO
write u big book on what he knows about
America
President Mckinley has not yet sought
much amusement at the capital. Beyond
an occasional horseback ride he sticks very
close to his work at the White House.
Years ago the president was very fond of
baseball. While n member of congress and
later as governor of Ohio he was frequently
seen at the games. 1t was supposed when
he came down here to be the chief magis
trate of the nation that his love for the
national game would be found as strong
as ever. The local manager built for the
president s use in the top of his grand stand
a nice little box, equipped with dozen
chairs, and sent the key of it to the presi
dent with his compliments. Mr.. Mckin
ley promised to make use of it, but up to
this time has not done SO.
An Amazing Fact.
One Of the most curious things in hu
man nature Is the penchant which some
men have for getting their skins full of
red liquor ut the oldest imaginable places
and under the strangest circumstances.
was once in the Mammoth cave with a
large party Of excursionists, and four out
of five of them appeared to have q craze
for drink The disease became contagious,
and in two or three hours the number of
cases of intoXication was amazing to be
hold. The strange part of it was that tho
liquor did not take effect till the men had
emerged from the cave into the open air.
Then it came upon them with most dis
astrous results. In New York at the Grant
memorial exercises | was amazed to see so
many cases of drunkenness among the
guests. One would think that There, of all
places and of all times, whisky would be
the last thing man would think of, but
1t was not SO. On account of the inclem-
ency of the weather large number of the
spectators had provided themselves with
bottles Ito ward off pneumonia and, al
though no pneumonia has been reported,
the number Of DRINKS passed all belief. |
saw a distinguished senator fall off his
chair, so full was he. / saw member of
congress disporting huge bottle and oc-
casionally drinking from it right at the
door of the tomb of Grant. Many other
instances of disgraceful intoxication did
witness on that OCCASION
1t is pity the architects who designed
the United States capitol did not have
modern ideas of providing light and air.
There is no gloomier or stu1lier place in
any public building in this country than
the corridors of tho house of representa-
tives at the doors where cards are sent in
by visitors who want to see members. All
the daylight comes in from little win
dow at the end Of the narrow corridor and
that is occasionally hidden from view by
the passing up or down of the house ele-
vator To add to the difficulty the attend
ants of the house, whether from careless
ness or those principles of economy which
are sometimes supposed to be official viz
tues am unable to say, fail to keep more
than one little sickly gas jet burning
Venerable Bishop.
Bishop Thomas Bowman, the oldest liv-
Ing member of the episcopacy of the Meth
Sdist church, has announced his deter
mination to retire from active work. He
has gone to Evanston, Ills, to spend the
remainder Of his days with his daughter.
Bishop Bowman is not quite so years of
age. He is in perfect health and in pos
session of all his wonderful mental powers.
Among church people Bishop Bowman
will go down in history as the greatest
builder Of churches of his time When he
went to st. Louis, 20 years ago, there were
but three English speaking Methodist
churches there. All the increase has been
largely due to his efforts. 1t is said that
he has built more than 100 churches in
Missouri alone. His eloquence has brought
out contributions to build mt least 900
churches, and ne has dedicated over /, 200.
No stnto or territory Is without church
that was dedicated by him. There are not
many counties in the United States that
he has not visited ard held services in.
His missionary travels have tal,nn h;,, i,