The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-19
FAMOUS MISSING STATE SECRETS.
Anew Treaties that Have Been Pematurey Published and How
The Coup Was Executed.


The coming Oriental treaty OF peace in
which all the nations who are implica e |
in the Chinese question will participate.
makes review OF other famous docu-
mcnts of this character and incidents cen
nected with them Interesting. Not in all
cases, howcyes, have treaties been ones
Of peace; but they have been, to the con-
trary very varied.
Before treaty is absolutely concluded
and malc public the negotiations lcspec,-
ing 1t between the states or pswers in-
tereted may have been proceeding for
many months, perhaps years.
Inc preliminary papers are meanwhile
1ealously guarded and. saving high placed
tfhcials and ministers OF suites, no 5ody
has access TO them The purioining thcFe-
fore OF treaty Is except ionally rare, but
notwithetan Nng the apparent impossi-
bllity OF stealing such a valuable docu-
mcnt. cases hlve occurred and are on
record where thieves have managed to set
In and run on with state treaties. or one
should more correctly say their contents.
OF the six difleront forms-namoly. po-
litical, commercial and those relating TO
criminal justice, civil justice. wariaie
and considerations for special social OBJ
1ectS. such as mails, tclegraphs, cables
ana weights aud measures perhaps tao
most important in point Of Individual IN
tcrost are those treaties relating more
especially to criminal Justice,
Not very many yeurs ago certain
power WAS negotiating with Russia on
that subject and although no positive Ia
formation was Forthcoming, yet It was
generally agreed that the two countries,
or the ministers representing them. cou d
not come to terms Both powers were
anxious to settle the points in dispute,
and one or two years were spent in draft
ing out rough agreements for ratification.
Much depended ON the immediate sign
ing of the treaty so far as one OF the
countries was concernod aud as the feel
ings Of the power In question were shared
by its political ministers, one more cute
than the rest invited a journalist TO din
ner, a penman in whom he placed the
utmost confidence
Next day a full text of the latest draft
treaty appeared in the leading metrop-
olitan newspaper, much TO the consterna e
tion of the world but how the newspaper
was enabled TO print Il to this day re-
mains mystery 10 many.
Suffice to say that IL caused n great
sensation. and apparently NJ one was
more lstoniahcd than the minister Of
state referred to-
Russia was intensely annoyed, and
broke OFF all negotiations respecting tho
subjcct-mattc Of the proposed treaty.
But II has since been ratified,
Great Britain was played similar dis
agreeable trick by foreign power with
whom she was negotiating an important
commercial treaty. But in this case the
terms hid been agreed upon and all was
ready kr the signatures Of the other
party. Through some mysterious agency
the full text appeared in a foreign our
nal. which so grievousy disturbed the
equanimty OF the government of the
country that they imprisoned the principal
members OF the editorial STAFF OF the pa
per, who after being cut off flom the
outside world for fortnight. were Mt
length released and allowed to so back
TO work on their publication.
Filled with the earnestness Of their
profession. and with respect for It's time
honored trSditions. they refused 10 give
up the name OF fine writer or informant.
II was afterward discovered that the in
tormant was person in official authors y
under government.
II is not often that YOU catch an Of
cial connected with the foreign office of
any great power mapping,
A few years ago, the representative Of