New-York tribune., 1900-10-30
TIE PASSING THRONG.

Albert ]. Hopkins, member or Congress from
illinois, when at the Fifth Avenue Hotel yes
terday, said Of the political out
THE REPUB- look: Il find that the greatest en-
LICAN CON thusiasm everywhere manifests it.
GRESS OUT self in favor Of Mckinley and
LOOK. Roosevelt, and in my opinion the
President will secure larger num-
Der of votes in the college this year than
he did in 1896 His popular majority in the country
at large will exceed by at least 100000 that Of
1895 1 had talk recently with Joseph ". Bah
cock chairman Of the Congressional Campaign
Committee, regarding our chances in the LvIIth
Congress. At that time MI Babcock expected TO
the IvIth Congress of at eas ve Rs1e BEEN IN
speaking recently in Nebraska, Indiana and Mary
land In my judgment the situation in these States
is as follows: In Nebraska the Republicans will
Legislature AS to which party win get the eIec-
toraI vote of the State is a tos sup. The senu-
enough to give NebrasI electeISi @ V9ts 10 BTyan
CouI1 you remove that, the State would certainly
so, too. will Maryland. In Maryland we will also
1rict / spoke through this district. and a hot
fight is going there Mr.. jackson. the Repub-
certain that he, would win. All in ALL the outlook
could not we'll be better than it is at this time"
Royalty maintains a curious annual custom in
Spain which is. 1 suppose, relic from bygone
times said Stephen Appleton, of
WHEN st. Louis. the Hotel Imperial
ROYALTY yesterday. 'Tt is that custom
FEEDS AND which requires that once year the
WASHES head of the State should wash the
BEGGARS. feet of twelve beggars and ciothe
and feed them. Just now it is the
Queen Regent who performs the penance, but in a
year two will be Alfonso XIII who will comply
with the custom. The beggars six of each
are fed and washed on a given day before the as
yored guests To be one Of the 6ggaTS Dy IS 6o post
make of them marked men or women for the
balance of their lives but it supplies them as well
with the wherewithal to support that hIe, Inc
feeding well the washing is an agreeable
deti4n The food supplied R % tnfm r Is IN week ISSi Sa nd
none of it is eaten. This food belongs TO the beg
as possessing great virtues account of its having
been handled by royalty the oeggars % sen u; 70
the food they receive new clothing throughout
and certain sum of money. The ceremony of the
Upon raised dais the beggars bare OF feet are
in her hands. the Queen slowly passes. Upon each
dries % it with tows This completes that part OF
the ceremony. The irreverent in Madrid claim that
pronounced ready for this wash
Then in its turn comes the feeding OF the
beggars and if the washing should be termed
ceremony, the latter should GER
THE tainly be denominated august
FEEDING ceremony. The food is laid out in
AN AUGUST adjoining room, and the man
CEREMONY. in charge hands it TO the next one
in line who is of higher rank than
himself. He in turn, passes it on the rank OF the
recipients constantly increasing until it reaches the
hands of him who stands next the queen think
the Court Chamberlain-who hands II TO the Queen
She deposits the dish on the table in front OF the
first beggar. The ceremony is then gone
through with each dish. The table being at length
filled and each beggar served the Queen then picks
up the dish she first received and hands IL TO the
Mistress of the Robes, who stands next her. The
Mistress of Robes hands it to the next lady in
line who is of inferior rank TO herself, and the
dish is passed from hand to hand. the hands being
of constantly lesSenng rank, until II nnally dS-
appears through doorway; This Identical eere-
mony is gore through with each dish, and, as
there are if l err not twelve courses in all, II
takes a long time to work through them all 1t
was extremely interesting. however, and 1 was
very glad to have been lucky enough to witness it.
A leaving the food, In twelve
hampers awaiting the disposal of its beggar own
ers (beggars no lOngeT. So much was there OF II
that II took hampers four feet high and OF three
feet length and breadth to hold each share.