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 scoOPET
Postmaster General Talks of Service
I'm it's Department-Has Great
Hope of Future of Rural
Free Delivery.
tFrom a stan Correspondent)

From a Staf Correspondent)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-(special)-The
presidents first reception for the year
1908 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 n 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 II
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 1888 the Hawaiian kingdom was, dlplo-
matically speaking, the most important rep
resented in washington. His e~xcellency,
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 a 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 1t was In 1928, and 1t is
quite as true now. The result is that with
the exception Of an 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 dignitsries, a few
fresh samples Of millinery described, and
an account OF a reception written thirty
year ago, would very we'll describe the one
held on Thursday, 1908.
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 1t contained-alter-
ing only such. as we're necessary. He pre-
pared about two columns of this matter,
cut up into suitably sized takes" and d.
rected his m essenger to take his copy
around to the ONCE from time to time I'M
til the story vas 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 II 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 Of
copy to the ONCE, when be brought back a
note from the city editor. 1t was brief, but
it was very much to the point. It read
simply:
When do we begin to get your story on
the death OF the Hawaiian ministers"
The reporter. not comprehending the
sensational circumstances OF the minister's
death. procrastinated for half an hour and
then excused himself for a few hands"
and went out TO look up the news. When
he found out what the facts were he was.
in the ~parlance Of the row" simply
paralyzed." He did not commit suicide
quite, but when he recovered forty-eighth
hours afterward he sent a superhuous
note to the city editor. 1t was his resig-
nation.
Hopeful of Free Delivery.
ostmRst General Payne is confident
that free rural delivery will eventually pay
for itself. At the present time the cost OF
a restricted rural free delivery is about
$1,000 900. This is just the amount, in
round numbers. the postal receipts Of the
country were in 1862. When the entire
country is supplied with a rural free deliv-
arv the mat ufH he IN POUND pup,harg cog