The silver lance., 1899-04-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

sume the honors Of a diplomatist. Cen
eral Porter is known to be tired Of his
post. He was anxious to enter the
Cabinet at the beginning of the ADMIN
istration, and. while he has not Deen
consulted. the people who are engineer
ing the deal are quite confident that he
will agree to it. 1t Is also believed
that the President would not oppose 1t.
The ambassadors Of the European
nations who are stationed here are boy
cotting the new Mexican ambassador
Mr. Aspircz Although he is an edu-
Gated and accomplished gentleman
they have snubbed him systematically
and pointedly. The reason is that the
great European powers were not
pleased when the Mexican legation at
Washington was elevated to an EN-
bassy on an equality with their own
They made no formal protest. but there
was a good deal of dissatisfaction ex-
pressed privately that the represen-
tative of so small a nation as Mexico
should be accorded the same diplo-
matte distinction by our government
that their ambassadors received. The
respect felt for the late Minister Ro-
nero was so great that the Europeans
would not object to him, but when a
man without diplomatic experience.
like Mr.. AspiroZ came, boycott was
decided upon. The Mexican govern
ment will not overlook the slight upon
its representative. but the matter has
not yet been brought to its attention.
President Mckinley hopes to make
an extended journey through the north
west during the present summer, visit
ing all the states north of Nebraska
and Wyoming, and spending week or
more in the Yellowstone Park. He has
never been in that part of the coun-
try, and has a great interest in its de-
velopment. He will go as far west as
Puget Sound, taking the Northern Pa
cific road out and returning by the
Great Northern. Senator Carter of
Montana is making the arrangements
for the journey. and has been in Chi
cago comforting with several promi-
nent citizens. The President does not
intend to stop any time there-not
more than n night and a day-and ex-
poets no formal entertainment. If
nothing occurs to prevent he will leave
Washington about the 18th of July.
and be absent five or six weeks. He
will visit in Milwaukee and one or two
other points in Wisconsin; st. Paul,
Minneapolis. Fargo, Bismarck. Helena,
Butte, Great Falls. Spokane Falls, Sc
attic, Tacoma, Portland and several
other cities en- route.
There is a queer man in Washington
who makes it business to attend re-
ceptions teas. weddings and other So
cial gatherings to which he has not
been invited. He always pays his re-
spects to the hostess, when he enters,
makes a low bow, speaks n few polite
words and then passes into the crowd.
He is never offensive, but always def
erential, and is simply tolerated be-
cause that is the easiest way to get
along with him. He lives quietly with
his mother and sister in well-situated
and well-appOinted house in the west
end, but the ladies of the family have
never made any attempt to enter So
ciety. Their eccentric brother con-
fines his social enjoyment to these In
trusions. which are harmless and are
so well known as to cause little re-
mark. Some ladies have instructed
their buffers not to admit him. When
re is refused entrance at house he al
ways retires in a gentlemanly man.
ner, handing his card. with request
that his regrets be offered to the lady
of the house. He seems to think that
it is his duty to go to these places, and
he does it in conscientious manner.
President Mckinley hopes that Gen
eral Gomez will make a visit to the
United States. He sent him a special
invitation to come to Washington, in
order that they may have frank talk
about the situation in Cuba, the plans
of the United States government, the
necessity of educating the people be-
fore they are qualified for self-govern-
ment, the danger of intrusting con-
troll of affairs to the adventurers who
seek it now aud to obtain from him
his views of the best methods by
which the present condition may be
gradually exchanged for independence.
The President is also anxious that
Gomez should go about this country
and study our affairs and methods of
business and government. 1t is said,
however, that General Gomez. is
afraid to come. or rather that he thinks
it wiser not to do so for fear he will
lose his influence. Other ambitious
Cubans are already charging him with
having sold out to the government of
the United States. His fellow-country-
men are peculiarly sensitive to such
charges. The practice of bribery has
been so general in Cuba that people
take it for granted that every man is
influenced more or less by corrupt
motives. and it has always been
charged that Gomez was bought up by
the Spaniards at the close of the last
revolution.
The recently appointed assistant
treasurer at New Orleans is evidently
tartar His name is G. ]. Bell, and
he was selected for the office as a COM
promise candidate to satisfy the vari-
Gus factions of the Republican party
and the protection and gold standard
Democrats. AS soon as Mr. Bell took
charge of the office he removed the
cashier and placed his son in that po-
sition, and has since been making
other changes. turning out experienced
clerks and book-keepers and replacing