The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-15
MIR. sKINNER'S TRIP.
To Invite Descendant of Solomon and
 Queen of Sheba.


 New York Press.
 Emperor Menelik II. of Abyssinia may visit the St. Louis exhibition. Robert F. Skinner United States Concul General at Marseilles, is going to the ancient Ethio- plan empire to invite the descendant Of King Solomon and the Queen Of Sheba to the fair, and, incidentally, to establish di- rect trade relations between Abyssinia and the United States.
 Mir. Skinner will be conveyed in United States warship from Marseilles to Djibouti, the French port opposite Alden, whence he will board train for Harriar, and then will engage camels and native servants to Addis-Ababa, the Abyssinian capital He will be accompanied by an escort of American marines, which, while not necessary for his safety. will impress the natives with sense of his import ance, as no official in that part of the world travels without a suite.
 Menelik holds absolute sway over pop ulation of 100000 souls. British. French, Russian and Italian officials are now per- manently established at his capital, but the United States is unrephesented. It first occurred to Mir. Skinner that this state of affairs should be remedied, and his mission to the court of Menelik is his own idea.
 CT hope to open the country to Ameri- can merchants" said MT. Skinner. For a long time the Abyssinians have been buying our cotton and staple articles through Europeans, and l shall tell the Emperor that We now wish our mer- chants to settle in his country and buy ivory, hides, carpets, wool and other raw materials direct. It is doubtful whether shall be able to induce him to visit this country himself, but l think can make him see the advantage of sending depu- tation to the St. Louis fair"
 If MT. Skinner succeeds in his mission the great empire in pagan Africa that adopted the Christian religion in the fourth century will receive a new object lesson in civilization. Menelik's forceful policy has long been under the watchful eye of Europe. but the Italians alone have succeeded in invading his country and their success was only temporary, for while their protectorate was in force the astute Menelik was strengthening and amalgamating the tribal states for fhe purpose of throwing off the yoke. This he eventually did in 1896.
 Abyssinia has been the graveyard of , the reputation of several Italian generals, but 1t established the reputation of Meme lik as the greatest of negro warriors. The Abyssinians go into battle with modern rifles, and they know how to use them but in the heat of action they have a little way of throwing these down and rushing at the enemy with sabre and shield. In one battle 10000 of the Ital- Ian army of 21 900 were killed.
 Emperor Menelik cannot lay claim to allustrious ancestry on both sides of the house, for his mother was a beggar girl who came to his fathers palace seeking money Upon the death of Meneliks fa- ther Menelik's uncle ascended the throne becoming the Emperor TheOdoroS. While Menelik was hardly more than a boy he fell in love with certain Princess Taoti but when he took her before his uncle the emperor was smitten with her beau- ty and married her himself.
 Menelik then married his cousin, the emperors daughter, but .-.s thoughts ever returned to his first love. After the death of Emperor Theodoros the Princess Tao ii married at intervals four other men, but soon after Menelik ascended the throne he divorced his wife and married the sweetheart of his youth.
 Since her second royal marriage the Influence of the Empress Taot has never waned. It was she wno passed from tent to tent during the six years campaign, tnfiaming the Shorans to pitch of fren- zy against the Italians; and now her presence and influence are felt in all affairs of the empire. She sees and knows al lthat takes place. dictates letters and policy, and makes herself hated and fear ed by powerful court sycophants. She raves and terrorizes her husband if he departs from her coLnsels, exalts and praises him if he carries out her wishes Despite his iron will and warning spirit the girl who first swtyed his passions rules his mind and governs his actions.