The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-22

astonished and our appreciation of the picturesque gratified by this first glimpse of Ethiopian troops upon q ceremonial occasion. Arrayed in gorgeous silks and satins, with lion and leopard skin mantels, gold and silver plated bucklers, carrying Iances from which fioated the national colors, mounted upon spirited horses, they galloped inso formation. the order of which was an apparent disorder, A scene as indescribabie as 1t was memo rable. A band of shaw players heraided our coming with weird music which was not changed since the fall of Jericho.
 At the palace, or gueshL our escort fell back and the mission. always ac- companied by the marines and blue- Jackets, proceeded through a series of court yards and after receiving salute from a company of two hundred native artillerymen under the command of an European officer and q further salute of twenty-one guns in honor of the United States. we entered the aderach, an audi ence chamber of cathdraf-like proportions and form. The emperor sat upon his throne, surrounded by his most important advisers, representing the administrative departments, the judiciary. the army and the church. Back of the two rows of pillars supporting the roof were massed several thousand of the leading people of the Adds Ababa, all in holiday regalfa, Our reception. was cordial, but formal"
 For nine days Mir. Skinner was in con ference with the emperor and his chiefs of state. At the farewell audience the emperor received the entir expdftion and bstowed decorations upon all the officers of the mission and presented medals tc the marines. To MT. Skinner the em- peror gave two young lions and a pain of elephant tuslks. together with a per. sonal letter of friendship and good will addressed to the President which he gave as testimonials of his friendship and good will to the United States.
 Of the nations resources, Mr. Skinner has this to say:
 'sThe empire holds out no attractions to the commercial adventurer with limit ed means. Too many Europeans now II the field are of that class and the Elm peror. with just reason, Is weary of thu constant clamor for concessions, of al sorts and conditions of persons. whos' only object is to find purchaser at al exorbitant figure. On the other hand enterprises planned with skin and backet with sufficient capital may be undertaken and carried out with every assurance thal property interests will be respected bi the Government and that promoters O such enterprises will be welcomed with | caLnOHc splElt.i Es
 ''whatever may be the results of thii mission he concluded, 'it is certain that if the treaty be ratified, it will hav' regularixed and uncertain condition wher' we had an existing trade interest of valut and have placed us in position to profl by eventualities In view of the fact thai we have sustained diplomatic relations with every power of influence on the fac' of the earth for many years, and In man, cases where our material interests wer' very much inferior to those which "; have in Ethiopia, the surprising fac is not that we have sent a mission int Africa at this time. but that we did no do it many years before.'
 At present there is annual importation of cotton sheetings from the Unitet States to Ethiopia to the value of s5Ts, 900 It Is pointed out that Ethiopia can suppl, millions of raw skins. for which there fl an increasing need in this country.