Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-08-24
HOW THE CHINESE MINISTER As.
elsTEp AN EMBARRASSED
THEATRICAL TROUPE.
TlLLMAN BUSY REPAIRING
HIS POLITICAL FENCES
South careIinian Endeavors to Explain
His Tariff Recerd-one Of Few Sur.
vivins Confederate Generals Now a
Member of the House From Ten
nessse-other Gossip.
Especial Correspondence. I


washington. Aug. 24-The recall u
Minister WI Ting Fang has served to
remind some of his old friends in
Washington Of characteristic episode
IN his career soon after he came to this
country as minister for the first time.
At the earnest entreaty Of one or two
OF his acquaintance, he went to the
rescue of downtrodden' theatrical
troupe and succeeded in getting them
safely out of town without having them
fall into the clutches Of Of an eager and
active sheriff. The whole affair Illus
trated Wu's keen appreciation Of things
and the readiness with which he de-
tected the humor of situation
1t happened not long after WI reach
ed Washington the first time that the
performance OF Fantama was being
given out at Glen Echo, Maryland. The
troupe had been wrestling with i'll luck
for whole summer. Fall came and
cold weather, also the sheriff impend-
ed. 1t was absolutely necessary that
strong measures be taken WI was
then the vogue in all the public prints.
A newspaper man friendly to the man
| agement went to WI and told him that
If he and the whole routine OF the lega-
ton would go out and see the perform
ance given night 1t would mean much
| to the managem emit and would be high
ly humanitarian. WI saw the point and
said he'd do it. On the appointed night,
after the proper advertising, WI ap-
peared at the performance with some
| thing like a dozen Chinese, all in cos
tune. and the crowds fairly thronged
in. The summer theater wouldn't hold
all OF them. WI stayed thru 1t all,
drank pink lemonade. ginger ale and
otherwise disported himself and had
the time of his life. The box office saw
more money that night than 1t had
seen all summer and the members OF
the troupe had visions OF being In
clover. The only trouble was that an
enterrrising manager did a stunt of
high finance with the most OF the re-
ceipts, escaping the sheriff by a nose.
| The members Of the barn storming ar
ray barely managed to rescue their
| trunks from hook and get out of town.
Had 1t not been for WI, they might
have been in Washington yet
The inwardness of the activity Of
Senator Tillnan down in South Caro-
lima is now explained. Some comment
has been made on the fact he has been
attending a reunion Of the Red Shirts.
1t appears he is billed for a number OF
speeches in different parts Of the state
and that what he is doing is defending
his absence from Washington while the
tariff fight was on and explaining his
tariff record, as well as trying to fix
his political fences. which are in much
need of repair. He is working with a
view to preventing his defeat when he
seeks reelection. 1t is expected he
will have strong opposition. The dis
pensary system of which he is the au-
thor has been wiped out by prohibition
in many counties. This means the
downfall of about the last Of the things
he accomplished as governor of the
state. He is ambitious to stay in the
lock. 1t will be three years and more
no chances.
Il Is, perhaps, not generally known
viving generals lin the confederate
army is now crying in the house from
the Tenth Tennessee district. He Is
Gen. George Washington Gordon Cen
eral Gordon is quiet, modest and I'M
assuming parsonage but his fighting
record is one of the best In the armies
Of the south. He was trained in mil
litary school before the war and when
rJ,,tl1 20
Eleventh Tennessee infantry. He rose
to the rank Of brigadier general, was
three times captured, once dangerous
lily wounded and took part in no end
of bloody engagements. He was hold
la prisoner several months after the
war closed and then went into the
Flaw.
PhAu~LA NAs.> a>a-s.-