New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-20
POPULAR COMMENT.
MR. FOSTERS MISSION.
HIS APPOINTMENT NOT UNPREcEDENrEp--sPE-
c1AL INTERESTS WHICH EXPERIENCE MAY
ENABLE HIM TO PROMOTE

GAL INTERESTS WHICH EXPERIENCE MAI
ENABLE HIM TO PROMOTE.
| To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Your Washington correspondents account in
this mornings paper Of ex-Secretary John w. Eos
ters Important diplomatic mission perplexes me.
and / write for information on points that
seem specially obscure.
Mr.. Foster Is described as Special Amoassa-
| DOR" Is he so commissioned? II so. by whose au-
| thority? Has he been duly nominated to the Sem
ate to hold the Office Of Special Ambassador. ana
duly confirmed by that body? II not, where Is the
authority found for dispensing with the constitu-
tional requirement for this mode Of appointing to
| office? The question seems TO me more important
| In its foreign than Its domestic bearing. III MI
| Foster is sent abroad with title which he doesn't
| possess. is 10 not playing confidence game upon
| foreign Governments In endeavorng TO secure Tor
| him privileges for which our Government has not
fitted him In the constitutional way? IL there Is
practice by which Special Ambassadors can De
created without the advice and consent OF the sen.
that the history and grounds Of 1t should be popu-
| The Special Amba ssador' Is said to be accred-
tied to London But this Govern ment has JUST sent
an Ambassador specially accredited to London. Is
| 1t meant that he Is incompetent for the duties OF
the place? Perhaps the most important open cues
T Ha bs Of Il 's's oar nS
out of his hands. been fully con.idered7 There may
be good reason for sending Special Ambassador
on this subject to ST. Petersburg. since this Admin
istration is. At present without a representative
| counts to shorten the Special Ambassadors stay IN
London? do not ask these questions In any carp
cedure seems to me novel and liable, unless clearly
| explained, to lead to some trouble. 3 r.. I.
| Philadelphia, May 49, 1897.
| THE State Department under existing law and
practice selects special representatives FOR par
ticular emergencies without nomination to the
Senate. 1t was I'm some such way, we believe
tho, asai0 mad In
| on reciprocity questions with the rank OF Min
| lister in the State Department during the latter
part OF Mr. Blaines incumbency under President
| Harrison: and it was probably In the same way
| tina. Paramount Commissioner Blount was
seat by Mr. Cleveland to the Sandwich Islands
| 1t is not supposed that Mr.. Fosters instructions
| contemplate such activity or stay In London
as could involve any serious reflections upon the
| capacity Of our Ambassador there to do any
! work in London the Department may need MT.
Foster has had large experience In the Behrins
| Sea business and although IL must be admitted
that the results thus far have not entirely SAFE
| guarded American interests, yet there can De no
! doubt that his familiarity with the subject should
enable him to render useful service just now In
Russia and possibly also in Japan.l
COLLEGE LIBRARY WANTS GIFTS.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
| Sir. Acting under the advice OF some Of the most
prom,nen, Eastern educators. the management is
| pushing the development Of the library or FAIR
| mount College Wichita. with great zeal and sue
| ccss Seven thousand bound books and twenty
| thousand unbound magazines and pamphlets are
| already the resul, OF fifteen months earnest WORK
! This material is already well arranged for the use
| Of the eager students and mostly catalogueu inc
| president OF the college, Dr. y. }. Morrlsoh now
| in Ncv-Yo-k invites Eastern friends OF education
| oWusYs OF good books 10 contribute from tneII
stores to this library. This appeal has the favor
| OF leading educators or Ne" -fhGiahd anu .>e"
| York. =, - .,,,x ,
| Those who are disposed to aid so promising
| work may send packages OF books or pamphlets u
, the storcrooms Of the American BOON .SmPa,,H
| be shipped to the college. As NEWCOMERS pre-
| pare 10 leave their city homes for summer SO.
| iOurn In the country or over the sea, why no'
| Dacl ND the books and periodicals which nave ac,
| and scud them TO Paramount College? Such gfts
VIII d., vast good I'm Kansas, where pubhc nprarless
| arc few Among other good results, they may he'I
correct the bad political and hnanclal pnhosOPPMS
| which seems to be prevalent out on tne prall y
| and win back the people to sympathy with theif
| last week six large cases IF books were shipped
to the college the gift Of the library OF the Slir
| geon-Cienerals Office. United States Army "ash'
| ngton. . - "
| New-York, May IA. 1897.
NOT HOPEFUL ABOUT PERSONAL. TAAEs.
! To the Editor OF The Tribune.
| Sir: | observe great hopes built upon the stric'
| orders OF the state assessors to assess persona
property II said that this Will bring upon the tax
| IL, of