Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-05-11
'A,ashiaatun STANDARD
AMERICAN PLUCK.
The first American Woman Officially RsooS-
nizsd Abroad.

The first American Woman Officially RsCos
nizsd Abroad.
Mr.. Alexander sullivan, who Is
without question the leading woman
Journalist OF the United States, was
the first American woman to be recuS-
med in an official capacity abroad,
-ay~ Hrp'rN H1:"r. Thr B':"r adds
Mrs. sullivan Wa selected 10y the As
ISOLATED Press Il, special correspond
cnt Of the previous exhibition at PARIS,
being the unanimous choice OF It's d.
rcctorS. among whom were Charles y.
Dana. Joseph Medill, Whitelaw Reid
and Henry Wattcrson. They were OF
the opinion that Mrs. Sullivan's excep-
tional education, her capacity as edi-
toral writer, and her previous visits to
Paris especially qualified her for this
duty.
Her instructions, the Bo:dr con-
tinuc>, were to proceed III time to
make thorough preliminary study OF
the entire subject with view to rem
dering her cablegrams OF practical ben
eft to the American people. Her
first dispatch, of 5000 words, was to
analyze the exhibition as whole and
to describe the opening ceremonial,
certain to be picturesque and impress
sive. This WAS to appear in the Amer
lean daily papers the morning after
the opening. Four subsequent cable
grams Of 5000 words each, to appear
consecutive Sundays, were to be de-
voted to, respectively, the department
OF fine arts, OF industrial arts, educa-
ton and manufactures.
Mrs. Sullivan reached Paris month
in advance OF the opening of the exhi-
bition. The American Commissioner
informed her that there we're already
5000 applicants for place at the open
ing ceremonial, which was to be held
under the dome of the Fine Arts
Building, where there were only 1000
seats, and that it would be impossible
to secure admission there for any press
representative. Our Minister, Allen
McLane, unsuccessfully endeavored to
induce the exhibition authorities to
make an exception in favor of the ca.
BILE writer OF the Associated Press
which then, in fact, represented the
entire press of the nation. The final
argument against the application was
that the special cable representative
was q woman, and no woman would
be admitted to the ceremonial, which
was TO be exclusively official. Seat.
would be provided, however, for Mrs
Sullivan and her travelling companion
in a gallery above the dome, with Nine
Carnot and other distinguished per
sons. Finding that from the gallery
it would be impossible to see the seem
below or hear word of the proceed
ings, Mrs. Sullivan declined to g
there, and her credentials were lait
before Prime Minister Tirard, who hat
the exhibition in charge. The Minis
ter received Mrs. Sullivan cordially
but as to admitting her to the open
ing CEREMONY" Mais, Nine. Sulli
van est une dame; it was impossible
Mrs. Sullivan was lady. Mrs. Sui
van modestly assented and won tn
Minister at once by archly adding
"and is confident of finding the frs
Minister of France gentleman"
"Mais," the government of the Re
public of France had never given off
cial recognition to a lady. "Mais
mais," courteously said Mrs. Sullivan
ait is time for the government of tn
French Republic to make a prece
dent" The precedent was made fortl,
with. A reallotment OF diplomat
seats was ordered and chair assigne
to Mrs. Sullivan-three chairs from
Minister Tirard, four from the Pres
dent of France, M. Carnot-and on
near by was reserved for her travelin
companion. An official order furthe
inserted Mrs. Sullivan's name in tn
officially recognized category and com
manded for her unlimited opportunit
to discharge the laborious duties 70
which she had been sent to Paris, tn
first woman of any country bearing s
responsible trust abroad.
While pleading with Mrs. Sulliva
to be content with gallery place O
the opening ceremonial Minister II
rard said: "Will it not be enough t
report the ceremonial a day later?
an. Minister" said Mrs. Sullivan
"there is no day later in America
journalism"
Thus was made the precedent Of tn
official recognition of woman by til
French Republic, and the first woma
so recognized was Margaret F. Sull
van.
Nation Of Beer Drinkers.
The report of the Commissioner {
Internal Revenue looks very much {
if we were becoming nation of BET