The Tucson citizen., 1902-04-05
AN AMERICAN IN LONDON.

Our esteemed contemporary. the
Yuma Sentinel. subuits this obserVa-
tion:
Since Governor Hogg. of Texas. has
refused 10 appear at the kings levee
in knee breeches the question has
arisen whether he was prompted in his
decision by Democratic simplicity or
unsymmetrical calves.
We take pleasure in informing our
Yuma contemporary that the calves of
the former Governor of Texas are pre-
sentable in any kind OF attire. and his
simplicity, democratic or otherwise, is
habtually governed by the proprieties
necessitated by the occasion.
We are aware that Ex-Governor
Hogg sent shudder up and down the
spine of every really devout Anglo
maniac on either side of the Atlantic
by neglecting an opportunity to at
tend one of Edward Wis levees at st.
James palace. Naturally the blow fell
hardest on the American society of
London" whose members are. per-
haps, more ardently loyal to the Bri-
tish crown than any other human be-
jrgs in the world with the possible ex-
ception of our State Department off,
Cials.
Mr.. Hogg. however. has not acted
entirely without authority and pre-
cedent The late Thomas F. Bayard
during his tenure as Ambassador to
England explicitly refused to endue
his legs in silk tignts. He thought that
the dress costume OF his own country
was good enough for England. and he
set aside the medieval frippery of
Briti.a convention for the artistic ac-
Movements of the modern tailor. We
have never heard that Mr.. Bayards s
troIsrrs bagged at the knee. or that
his shoes were ever other than neat and
clean. MIR. Bayard was greatly beloved
by the British aristocracy and no
wonder. His birth, breeding. ancestry
compared favorably with that of the
average British noble" His manners
and his culture were at least accept
able to the highest British standard.
tie was not a nervous, trembling
bourder tortured by a sense of in
security, and forever lodging visions
OF q shabby past He could afford to Set
fpc pf ,,,iFb
OF the snobocraCy retained .ne dress,
manners and postures of an American
gentleman. Apparently he did not lose
the respect of we'll bred Englishmen
On that account. AS between a decent
and dignitied American attitude and
The aGCption of ridiculous anach-
ronism, Mr.. Bayard did not entertain
a second thought. He appalled, his own
underlings, and shocked the American
cads in London. but evidently he did
not outrage British convictions of
propriety and correct manners.
Now comes Ex-Governor Hogg. of
Texas, whom the paragraphers delight
to honor with their somewhat shop
worn vita simple, straightforward,
and at times uncomfortably strenuous
American citizen--who, without a
thought of initiating anyone, for imita-
tion is not in his line, initiates Mr.
Bayard in declining to make a
spectacle Of himself and preferring his
dignity and common sense to sight
Of Edward VII and the opportunity of
kissing a royal hand. Our Ambassador
Choate, whose slightly fulsome wit
and somewhat withcred humor have
endeared him to the British arIstocracy
an arid land, as we know. rejoices
in a passing shower -Choate, we say.
Informed Mr.. Hogg that the silk
knickerbOckers and tights were indes-
pensable. Choate's secretaries and en-
tire encourage arose with stiffened
hair and bulging eye-balls. to declare
in single voice that Mr.. Hogg in
simple trousers was impossible.
So Mr. Hogg did not go to the levee.
The United States Embassy at London
still survives. An acute crisis has
been weathered, and the goose hangs
high.
------O------