The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-12-22
WASHINGTON LETTER
Our Ways Bother Them-Why EN-
bassador Cambon Is Absent.
[speciaI correspondence.l


to His Excellency the Hon. William
Mckinley, the President of the United
States" 1t contained two dozen mag
nificent, great red apples, evidently
the pick of an orchard. And yet the
pleasure of opening the box and tast-
ing the fruit probably was reserved for
some mental, for it is an easy guess
that the president knew nothing about
the box. If an acknowledgment was
written, the president never saw it.
One day recently a farmer from
southern Pennsylvania sent by express
a dozen monster ears of corA, the
choice picking from his fields, accom-
panied by note that he knew the
president would be glad to know Penn
sylyania was growing such excellent
crops.
A third farmer, from the vicinity of
Harpers Ferry. sent couple of live
squirrels, which he said were the finest
and largest specimens he had ever seen
of the gray variety and were warrant
ed to perform certain tricks, for they
had been carefully trained.
A Missouri citizen early in Septem-
Der sent the president a choice head of
cabbage. Somebody from Kansas sent
him a sample box of Kansas wheat.
About a year ago a western farmer
sent the president pair of prairie dogs
in wire cage Other additions have
been made in the geological depart
ment from time to time, and, had they
all been saved, the White House would
have a ZOO of no small proportions.
The flower and plant crank also has
had his turn at sending presents to the
president. The specimens have covered
a wide range of both cultivated and
wild plants; but, of course, it has been
impossible to make any use of them.
Our Ways Bother Them.
The intricacies of our official etiquette
will never cease to be the source of
wonderment to the foreigners who
dwell in our midst. The next day aft
er the death of the vice president was
announced and condolences had been
sent to Mrs. Hobart by the dean of
the diplomatic corps. Lord Pauncefote,
then came the question who would sue
coed Mr.. Hobart. When this had been
satisfactorily answered the punctili-
Gus ENJOYS were then anxious to know
if it would not be courteous to send
congratulations to Mr.. Hay who is
now heir apparent to the presidency,
and to Mr.. Gage, who is heir presump-
tive. Private inquiries to this effect
were sent TO the state department. The
diplomats were quite peIplexed when
they learned that such congratulations
would be in exceeding bad taste, since
they implied a desire that some mshap
would occur to the present occupant
of the White House. They say that in
other countries the men who succeed
to an Office or merely an empty honor
such as Mr.. Hays position as next to
the presidency may be termed, are al
ways congratulated by the members
of the diplomatic corps.
Why ambassador Cnmbon Is Absent.
The French ambassador. NJ. Jules
Cambon, is not expected back until aft
er the New Year. In fact, the French
embassy in Washington is almost de-
serted, only NJ. Thiebault, charge
d'affaires being here. The reason for
this is that opposition has arisen in the
French chamber of deputies against
the recent reciprocity treaty negotiated
between the United States and France
some months ago and which has just
been laid before the French chamber.
Bitter objection to its ratification is
being made. because ii opens the
French markets to our wheat. grain
and manufactured food products aud
has aroused the enmity of French
farmers. Nj. Cambon, who is now in
France, will remain in Paris to assist
the government in the fight for the
treaty. and several of the attaches of
the embassy in Washington who are
experts in the matter and who had
much to do with the negotiations here
have also been called to France to be
of assistance to the government
The Trust Question In Congress-.
1t is expected the Industrial commits
sion viii be ready to give a prelimi-
nary report to congress in January on
the subject of trusts. This important
feature of the commissions eXamina-
ton is looked upon with such interest
that it is thought congress will be anX-
ious to get timely information in re-
gard to prevailing conditions in the
big industrial corporations of the coun-
try in order that definite knowledge
may be arrived at 1t is likely that
congress will be flooded with various
bills framed with n view ia regulating
the trusts, and some action is apt to be
demanded by the country at large.
Assistant Secretary Vanderlip has
had conference with officials of the
Philadelphia mint, and it was decided
that this mint will be given the finest
mechanical equipment obtainable.
When the mint is completed, it will be
the best in the world H. j, Shaker Of
Chicago, who has superintendent the
rehabilitation of the mint at New Or
leans, is in Europe and will visit minis
in Paris, London and Berlin with a
view to studying their equipment and
looking up late improvements. which
will be utilized at Philadelphia.
A number of delegations from vari-
GUS Indian tribes have begun their an
nual pilgrimage to Washington, some
of them coming for the purpose of
lodging complaints with the interior
department. others to ask the advice
of the great father regarding tribal