Arizona republican., 1905-08-09

tions of Europe and the oriental pow
 CTS. Even the officers of our depart
 ment of state and our trained and most experienced diplomats have to
 make study of the thing in order not
 to give unintended offense through ig norance or carelessness; and they not infrequehtly make grave mistakes in their efforts to get through the laby-
 rinth of foreign form and ceremony
 with safety. A faux pas by James G.
 Blaine is readily recalled in this con-
 nection:
 At the time of the dedication in 1881
 of the Yorktown monument in com
 memoration of the American victory
 over Lord CornwaIlis just one hundred
 years previous the government of the
 United States had as its official guests
 about fifty representatives of the
 French nation-heads of departments,
 army and navy officers, senators. dep
 uties and numerous descendants, both
 men and women, of Lafayette and Ro-
 chambeau; and, besides these, seven
 German army officers, all descendants
 of Baron Won Steuben, who was the
 drill-master of Washington's raw re-
 cruits. Secretary of State Blaine had
 official charge of them as host. In the ascent of the York river from Fortress Monroe the Germans and the French were guests of the secretary on his department steamship. the City of Catsl1in. At her maintop flew the Stars and Stripes; the French tri-colOr was at the foretop; the flag of Ger many capped the mizzentop. Every body, apparently thought it a nice ar engagement. When anchorage was reached in front of Yorktown the sec retary sent the French guests in his launches aboard their own warship, the Magicienne; the Germans remained aboard the Catslill. There was to be a formal reception at 4:S0 in the after noon. with a grand state dinner on board ship at 6. Promptly at f o'clock MT. Blaine sent his launches for the they refused to leave their own ship! He was puzzled-and Q little later he went aboard the Ma E the flags that had caused the friction. You are according to the represent | atives of one German family" said the Frenchmens spokesmen, "the same honor that you accord to the whole French nation. We cannot set foot on your ship. while the flag of Germany flies there'-and they didn't. Secre- | tary Blaine returned to the CatskiH l much embarrassed, thoroughly crest | fallen. What was he to do? He | couldn't haul down the German flag. ! That would be an affront to his Ger | man guests. The only thing to Go was ! To wait for the firing of the sunset gun, when all three flags would come down | ogether-without precedence"
 That was done. and inside of ten minutes the Frenchmen in court dress md uniforms were clambering up over he rail of MT. Blaine's ship, beaming md good-natuIed. But meantime TOhn Chamberlain's dinner had got ,old, and the perpIexed and impatient guests on the CatskiII artifcially warm trough the premature absorption of many scores of his cold quarts" The German flag never went up again on hat ship. The Von Steubens didn't are. They saw the force of the French Their ancestor had been paid drilI-master in the American
 rmy; France, as a nation, assisted the American cause with money, men and hips. MT. Blaine felt his faux pas ,eenly. And at this distance it seems trange that a man of his quick per options and long experience should aVe made it.