Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-05
RECALLS AN OLD INCIDENT
Sudden Death Of a Diplomat Mars the
Arthur New Years Reception.
POKER GAME GETS A PAPER scooPtD
Postmaster General Talks of Service
I'm it's Department-Has Great
Hopes of Future of Rural
Free Delivery.
tFrom a star correspondent)

AhAA n 0Nah
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-(specisl.)-The
presidents first reception for the year
1903 passed of without any unusual Incl
dent. There are many people in Washing
ton who have made 1t their annual practice
to attend the first executive reception of
the season. Among these an incident of
Just twenty years ago is brought wildly to
memory.
1t was on the LIST OF January. 1888, that
President Arthur suddenly left the receiv-
ing line and ordered the rooms closed. The
reception came to a sudden end and the
reason for It was thus recorded in the
Post Of January 2:
Minister Allen, representing the Ha-
waiian kingdom in this country, arrived at
the executive mansion at IL o'clock and
seemed to be in his usual health. Being
the Oldest member of the diplomatic corps
he took precedence in waiting upon the
president. After shaking hands with the
latter he mingled for half an hour with the
throng in the East room. Just before IL
o'clock he went to the cloakroom to secure
his coat and hat, and his carriage was
called, his purpose being to call next upon
the secretary of state, when he suddenly
staggered and fell. Instantly several per-
sons gathered about the PROSTATE man,
who was subsequently, lifted and placed on
a sofa, and Surgeon General Wales Of the
navy, who was in the house at the time,
was summoned. General Basil Norris re-
sponded to the call also, but neither could
afford relief to the afflicted man, who died a
few minutes after ~ o'clock"
In 1883 the Hawaiian kingdom was, diplo-
matically speaking, the most important rep
resented in Washington. His excellency,
Elisha Hunt Allen, had served in the capa-
city of minister for a quarter Of a century.
Because OF his long service he was the
doyen of the diplomatic corps and took
precedence over the representatives Of all
the great European powers. Today Hawaii
is a part OF the United States, and no rep
resentatives of any other minor republic
or kingdom ever again headed the diplo-
matte corps, for the reason that the big
powers are now represented in Washington
by ambassadors, who form a small coterie
by themselves, and II all of them should be
first recognized by the president on the
morning of December 81 they would still
take precedence over ministers, even
though some of the latter might have
served for half a century.
Reporter Makes n Mistake.
A good story is told on the representative
of q leading western newspaper in connec-
tion with this shocking termination Of that
New Years reception: New Years day is
a very easy one for the newspaper men of
Washington, and for nearly everyone else
except the army officers and other govern
ment servants who are directed to attend
the presidents receptions; SO, perhaps, to
make certain the chief magistrate of the
nation will have a full house. rain or shine.
That event is in fact the only thing that
ever really happens" on the first day of
the new year in Washington. This was as
true in 1883 as it was in 1928, and 1t is
quite as true now. The result is that with
the exception of ar account Of the presi-
dents reception there is little news to
burden the wires from Washington on the
day that Janus looks forward. Each re-
curing New Years day the same thing
happens; the same long lines of members
OF the diplomatic corps in their court re-
gala; the executive. legislative and judi
cial branches of the government, veterans
of all wars, persons prominent In society,
and, last of all. the dear public generally
tediously pass the president for several
hours to exchange greetings Of the new
year. There is a great similarity between
these receptions. With the names Of the
presidents and other dignitaries, a few
fresh samples of millinery described, and
J III dNtOuhN VI a ANNNPNlpA sAAA -
year ago, would very we'll describe the one
held on Thursday, 1903.
This was the theory OF the reporter
above mentioned. Thirty years ago he left
his office early, secured copies OF the paper
just one year before, changed the account
OF the reception which it contained-alter-
ing only such as were necessary. He pre-
pared about two columns of this matter,
cut I'D into suitably sized takes" and d.
rected his messenger to take his copy
around to the ONCE from time to time I'M
til the story was all in the ONCE. All his
work was done an hour or 30 before the
reception began. The reporter-full OF
consciousness of duty we'll performed-pro-
ceeded to his room. where several friends
had foregathered. locked the door and pro-
ceeded to pass the afternoon in the seduc-
tive game so admirably described by Gen.
eral Bob" Schenck. The game was not
large, but It possessed plenty of interest
The afternoon waned. No news from the
outside world passed the frowning door
and the party was wholly oblivious OF ev'
erything but the game. About 3 in the
afternoon, the messenger having followed
instructions, had carried the last chunk o.
copy to the ONCE, when he brought back
note from the city editor. II was brief, bui
it was very much to the point. 1t reat
simply:
when do we begin to get your story OF
the death OF the Hawaiian minister? ?"
The reporter. not comprehending thu
sensational circumstances OF the ministers
death, procrastinated for half an hour and
then excused himself for a few hands
and went out to look up the news. WheI
he found out what the facts were he was
in the parlance OF the row" simply
paralyzed." He did not commit suicid,
quite, but when he recovered forty-eightl
hours afterward he sent a superhuouI
note to the city editor. It was his resig
nation.
Hopeful of Free Delivery.
Postmaster General Payne is conhden.
that free rural delivery will eventually pa!
for itself. At the present time the cost o
a restricted rural free delivery is abou
IS, 900. 900, This is just the amount, 4
round numbers. the postal receipts OF tn
country were in 1852. When the entiri
country is supplied with a rural free deliv
cry the cost will be in round numbers $25,
O0O. 900. or 1900. 900 more than the total re
eeipts Of the postohhce department as lat
as 1871.
With the extension OF rural free deliver
r 10 all parts of the United States Il is hope